Miscommunication
by Kristen Sharpe
Summary: AU. She sure didn't dress like Sleeping Beauty. He wasn't exactly Prince Charming. And, goodness knows true love's first kiss wasn't involved. He still woke her. The spell still bound them. And, their quest began. [Work In-Progress]
1. Awakening

**Title: **Miscommunication  
**Author: **Kristen Sharpe  
**Date:** October 20, 2003  
Finished: December 22, 2003  
**E-Mail:** Inuyasha (based primarily on the anime)  
**Genre:** AU (alternate universe)/action adventure  
**Rating:** PG  
**Warnings:** Likely to have no more than PG level violence.  
**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha, the character and the series, belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., and Sunrise.  
**Author's Note: **Well, here goes… My first effort at a real Inuyasha fanfic as opposed to a short/oneshot. For once in my writing, I've sketched out the plot ahead of time; I know not only where I'm going but most of the details along the way. But, I'm still a little uncertain, starting out in a new fandom and all. Any and all comments and critiques would be most welcomed.

**Chapter 1: Awakening**

Inuyasha, hanyou son of the great Dog Lord of the Western Lands, bearer of the fabled blade Tetsusaiga, hesitated. Surprisingly, that action caused nothing momentous to occur. No seas rose or fell. No stars plummeted from the heavens. Like most startlingly uncharacteristic moments in history, it only yielded surprised looks from his companions.

Oblivious, the boy studied the limp form before him uncertainly.

'_If you free her, you will be bound to her for all time._'

Kaede's words echoed in his mind relentlessly as a delicate wind stirred the silent clearing in which he stood. His long, silver hair lifted and flowed around his red-clad form in gentle waves. The half-youkai remained frozen.

Bound for all time. Just what did that entail? Obviously, an attachment from which he would never, _could_ never break free. But, what sort of attachment? Would he merely be compelled to aid her when she required it? That was definitely the most preferable of the choices flitting about his mind. But, what if it compelled him to stay at her side? Or granted her control over him?

A low growl boiled up from his chest at that last thought. He was no one's lapdog.

"Stop grumbling about it and do it, Inuyasha!"

The growl deepened into a half-hearted snarl as the hanyou turned his attention to the red-haired, bushy-tailed child perched on his right shoulder.

"Shut up, runt!" he snapped, cursing himself inwardly for falling for the little kitsune's pleas to bring him along. The child wasn't going to make this any easier.

The kitsune growled in response, his eyes darting to the nearest of Inuyasha's pointed, dog-like ears.

"Don't even think about chewing on me again!" Inuyasha snapped quickly, catching the none-too-subtle glances at his ears and knowing the kitsune's favorite targets all too well.

The fox child tensed, his bushy tail bristling. A sharp retort bubbled in his throat and then suddenly died with a whimper.

"Please, Inuyasha," he whispered. "I want my Okaa and Otou back."

Something inside Inuyasha clenched. An old pain throbbed anew.

"I know, kid," he responded quietly. "Just gimme a minute, okay?"

The child nodded wordlessly and settled back, his soft baby claws digging harmlessly into the tight weave of Inuyasha's kariginu. He glanced around Inuyasha's silver mane to find the tiny feline that was curled up on the hanyou's opposite shoulder. Both of the little creature's two, black-tipped tails were wrapped securely around Inuyasha's neck.

"Guess we have to be patient, Kirara," the kitsune whispered to his shoulder-riding companion. His tone became conspiratory. "You know how long it takes Inuyasha to make a decision. Even when it's his only choice."

The cat peered at him with ruby eyes before uttering a faint mewl in response.

Above their "conversation," one white-furred ear twitched. Stilling the appendage with conscious effort, Inuyasha wondered if the little fox kit honestly thought he couldn't hear his whispers or if he was meant to hear these presumably private conversations between fox and cat. He suspected the latter and, knowing that, chose not to respond. He'd bop the little brat later.

The silver-haired youth focused his attention back on the object of his earlier attention almost reluctantly.

It was a girl. Her long, raven hair blew gently in the wind, trailing across her smooth face. Her eyes were closed, as they had been for the last fifty years if the stories had it right. Her placid face, slack with sleep, held a lingering sadness. Delicate brows drew together ever so slightly in a frozen expression of concern. Full, pink lips curved downward in a gentle frown. And, just below that frown, protruding obscenely from her chest, was an arrow. Its shaft was weathered. The tatters that had once been the fletching fluttered faintly in the gentle breeze.

Dimly, Inuyasha mused that she didn't look like someone who deserved to have been punished so. Her clothing was scandalous to be sure. A curious white and green kimono that covered her arms properly enough, if rather more tightly than usual, but left an obscene length of leg exposed. Still…

He frowned.

It wasn't right at all. And, to just leave her there like that…

Almost of its own accord, his right hand reached for the arrow embedded in her chest. The arrow that held the girl fast to the base of an ancient tree. Rose-tinged energy immediately began to crackle around his outstretched hand.

With a yelp, Inuyasha withdrew the hand and cradled it to his chest, watching the faint burns the miko power had created slowly fade away.

"Maybe it would be better if you went on and got it over with," a voice whispered in his ear.

It took incredible force of will not to send the fox flying into the nearest tree.

Would _you_ like to do it, Shippou?!" the hanyou snapped. Before the child could reply, Inuyasha swatted him off his shoulder.

The kitsune thumped onto the grassy ground with a squeak of surprise. He looked up at his companion with wide, hurt green eyes. Inuyasha's next words halted the flood of tears he'd been about to unleash.

"Stand back." The silver-haired boy glanced at the feline youkai on his other shoulder. "You too, Kirara. Neither of you would survive this kind of power."

With an encouraging trill, Kirara nudged his cheek gently and then complied, leaping to the ground beside Shippou.

Inuyasha tossed them a quick, confident smirk. Then, he faced the trapped girl resolutely. This was it then. The smirk slipped away after a moment as the ramifications of what he was about to do again flitted through his mind.

"Inuyasha," Shippou's hesitant voice came from behind him, "Are you sure _you_ can stand it?"

"Keh," the hanyou snorted, regaining himself. "I'm the only one who can. For once, my human half is gonna come in handy." He stretched his hand out toward the protruding arrow once more. "But, it's gonna hurt." He grimaced. "A lot."

Sitting with his hands fisted before him, the kitsune watched his friend fearfully. Images of Inuyasha vanishing in a shower of pink light and purified ash played before his eyes relentlessly. Tears welled at the corners of his verdant pools. No. He couldn't lose Inuyasha too.

"Be careful, Inuyasha," the child whispered to himself.

Overhearing, Kirara butted his shoulder reassuringly.

The hanyou heard as well, but he blocked the two from his mind, focusing on the girl. He could feel the hot tingle as the miko power that kept her sealed began to sear his flesh, seeking its natural enemy, the youkai blood that flowed in his veins. But, he wasn't afraid of being burned to ashes. He was half human after all. Miko power normally protected humans. Though this particular spell was meant to ward off human and youkai alike. Too strong for a human to endure. Too pure for a youkai to withstand. But, he was neither. He was youkai and human in one. The only sort of being that could get past the spell.

He hoped.

Too many hopes and dreams hinged on it.

But, that was not his deepest fear. Somehow, he was confident he would succeed in freeing her. What scared him was the price of doing so. He was afraid of the bargain he was about to strike. A bargain made not with words but with his actions. The minute he pulled that arrow from her chest he would be hers. Somehow, someway, he would be at her command.

The thought brought a tremble to his extended limb. He, Inuyasha, son of the Lord of the Western Lands, servant to a human girl. His face twisted in a silent snarl.

But, he needed this girl. He needed her power, no matter the cost. Shippou needed her. Kirara needed her. They had all suffered loss. And, only this girl, consigned to deathless sleep fifty years ago for the sake of the very power he sought, could help them.

His hand touched the arrow. Immediately, fiery energy tore through his arm. Inuyasha screamed as it flowed into him, burning him alive from the inside out.

"Inuyasha!" Shippou stared in horror as the pink light surrounded the hanyou, sending his body into violent spasms. As he watched, the color began to leech out of Inuyasha's hair, dulling his silver mane to gray.

Realizing what was happening, the kitsune began to scream anew. "Pull it out now, Inuyasha! Before you turn into a human completely!"

He watched with huge eyes as the hanyou's canine ears began to shrink, sliding through his darkening hair to become rounded human ears.

With a final scream of agony, Inuyasha wrenched the arrow from the girl's chest and collapsed into the grass at her feet, his hair now black as pitch. The arrow in his clenched fist disappeared in a final burst of rosy light.

His heart pounding, Shippou made to run to his friend's side. He stopped when the girl stirred. The hole in her chest that had, just instants before, held an arrow had sealed as though it had never been. A hazy, roseate corona still glittered in the air around her, giving her an unearthly quality as her eyes slid open slowly. Shippou stared as she opened eyes the brightest shade of blue he'd ever seen and looked directly at him.

"What…?" she whispered to herself softly. Her eyes became hazy as she slowly looked around, taking in the full scene before her. They finally lighted on the gasping boy at her feet.

"Oh!" Concern creased her features as she made her first move away from the tree on which she'd spent the last half century. Her numbed legs failed her and she fell to join him, just catching herself on hastily outstretched hands. She seemed oblivious to her own state, focused only on the boy.

"Are you alright?" she asked, reaching out a pale hand to pull a lock of the boy's now sable mane away from his face.

Their eyes met. Violet eyes stared back into her own for a moment, burning with an intensity that caused her to draw back. At the action, incomprehensible words, slurred across thick lips, tumbled from him.

"What?" Again, she reached for the boy, reached out to touch his sweat-drenched face.

Inuyasha met the girl's gaze again. "You can do it?" he demanded, forcing the stutter from his voice. Getting a blank stare in response, he clarified, "You can see the shards?"

The girl's face hardened. "Yes." She jerked her hand away from him, suddenly refusing to look at him.

"Good." Forcing his pride and the bitter bile the very thought of what he was about to do brought to his throat down, Inuyasha reached out to take the girl's hands into his own. He ignored her startled cry and forced himself to his feet, pulling her with him and cursing his temporary human form with every agonizing muscle spasm. Then, catching her gaze once more, he assured himself she was steady and suddenly dropped to the ground again. There, he knelt before the slight figure of the girl who might be the only being on earth that could help him. It took all his strength not to simply collapse.

"I will…" The words caught in his throat. His face burned with humiliation. "I will…." Staring at the grass now clenched in his hands, he forced himself to go on. "I will do whatever you ask of me in return for your help."

Silence greeted him.

Hesitantly, Inuyasha looked up. The girl was staring at him with the strangest expression. A mixture of bitter sadness and fear welled in her azure eyes.

"You have to marry me," she murmured. She shivered. "If you don't agree, I'll be… trapped there… again…"

The words were a dull, fading echo in his ears. Her face contorted before him, blurring into nothing but a bright spot against the dark foliage behind her.

"Is that all?" Inuyasha whispered. It seemed all the blood in his body was roaring through his head now, drowning the sounds of the outside world.

"Yes," he heard the girl reply somewhere in the distance.

"Okay." His own voice sounded just as distant. He felt oddly detached from the world around him. "I can do that."

Then, everything went black as he collapsed into a heap at the feet of his new fiancée.

**To Be Continued….**


	2. Promise

**Title: **Miscommunication  
**Author: **Kristen Sharpe  
**Date:** December 26, 2003  
**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha, the character and the series, belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., and Sunrise.  
**Author's Note: **And, here's chapter two. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I went back and tweaked my original draft a little after reading everyone's questions, and I think this should answer some of them. Not quite all just yet. But, the time period issue should become clear... though I think my way of answering it will bring _more_ questions... But, it should all be cleared up in time! Though if I ever claim anything "explained" and anyone finds that they're still lost, let me know.

**Chapter 2: Promise**

Inuyasha "awoke" to the mesmerizing sensation of gentle hands caressing his ears. The hands delicately stroked the short fur covering them, laying it down neatly in the proper direction. Occasionally, one would slip just a bit lower and rub carefully at the base of an ear.

Lulled by the soothing sensations, the hanyou found himself torn between snarling at the intrusion into his personal space and enjoying the moment of pampering. Sadly, he was lacking in options. His body was completely unresponsive. He couldn't even twitch his ears, let alone move them or his head. He was so numbed he couldn't even fully enjoy the petting.

Petting…. Just as well. He _shouldn't_ be enjoying _that_.

As his awareness gradually increased, he became aware of other sensations playing across his numbed senses. Distant, distorted voices reached his ears, filtering down into his dazed consciousness.

"That's amazing, Shippou! You look just like a rabbit!"

"…I'm a cat…."

"Well, you're still adorable!"

A soft pop followed the words. Inuyasha recognized the sound as Shippou transforming back to his normal form from whatever vaguely feline/lapine shape he'd temporarily assumed.

Inuyasha struggled to recognize the first voice. Shippou was familiar enough, but who was the other one? It sounded like a girl. It sounded awful close too.

"Do you think he'll wake up soon?"

That was the girl. Was she talking about him?

"I dunno. Are you sure he's not just napping? I could chew on his ears to check. He hates when I do that."

That little rodent! Inuyasha growled to himself. If he could just move….

He felt the hands on his ears suddenly cover them protectively.

"No… That's alright," the female voice said quickly. "I'm sure he'll wake up soon. His hair is almost all white now. You said it was normally like that, right?"

The voice finally clicked.

The girl! _The_ girl! The girl he'd freed!

Inuyasha stiffened… or he would have if he could move.

The girl…

He finally registered that there was something soft beneath his head.

Did that mean… The girl was _holding_ him? Rubbing his ears?

Sensation was returning fast now. He felt an ear twitch of its own accord as fingers brushed across the delicate guard hairs. Good. He had to get out of this position. And, soon.

A hand began to stroke the twitching ear once more.

"Shh," the girl's voice whispered soothingly. "It's okay…"

Alright. Enough was enough.

He was _no one's_ pet.

The raven-haired girl who had, only a half hour ago, been trapped in deathless sleep squeaked in surprise and pulled away when the boy who had, just seconds ago, been lying quietly with his head in her lap suddenly leapt to his feet. He spun around to face her and brought a clawed finger up into a demanding point. The gesture nearly stabbed the tip of her nose.

"What are you doing?"

The girl stared at him blankly as Kirara, perched on her shoulder, greeted the hanyou with a happy trill. Inuyasha gave the feline youkai a sour look. Then, he re-focused on the girl. Her face had tightened into a petulant scowl.

"I was _trying_ to be nice!" she snapped, reaching up to push his hand aside before standing herself.

"Then, keep your hands off my ears!" Inuyasha bellowed, balling both his hands into fists at his sides.

Kirara wisely chose to evacuate her perch in favor of a safer, less conspicuous, place on the ground as the two youths glared at one another.

"Inuyasha!"

Any further ranting they might have initiated was halted as Shippou leapt up to resume his spot on Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Inuyasha!" the kitsune repeated, grabbing the hanyou's nearest ear in his teeth. "This is the girl that has to help us!" he growled around his mouthful. "And, she's going to be your wife now too! So, you should be nice to her! My father was always nice to my mother!"

The older boy had stopped listening halfway through the child's tirade. His mind had halted on one, single word.

_Wife? _

"Oi, runt, what do you mean she's going to be my wife?!" Inuyasha snapped, plucking the fox from his shoulder and holding him at eye level by the back of his shirt.

"You woke her up and agreed to marry her, you idiot!" Shippou flailed a tiny hand at Inuyasha's face. "Did you forget already?" Shippou's eyes widened as he stared up at the blank look his comment had brought to the hanyou's face. "You _did_!" he wailed. The child began to beat on his own head. "I'm so stupid! Leaving everything to a moron like Inuyasha! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

The girl watched the performance with startled eyes. Inuyasha merely scowled and abruptly released the little fox, letting him fall.

Shippou squawked in alarm before his cry was muffled by the girl's arms as they wrapped around his falling form.

"How can you be so mean?" she demanded, cradling the kitsune as she met the silver-haired boy's eyes, her own flashing dangerously.

"Eh?" Inuyasha blinked. "A little fall like that wouldn't hurt him." He shrugged indifferently. "He needed to snap out of it and answer the question."

"He's always doing stuff like that to me," the fox confided to the girl in a whisper.

It wasn't whisper enough that the keen-eared hanyou didn't catch it.

"WHAT?! Shippou, you—!"

"How horrible!" the girl gasped, hugging Shippou closer. "What kind of bully are you?" she growled at Inuyasha, taking an angry step towards him. "You should be ashamed!"

The hanyou's amber eyes rounded. "Wh… Wha… WHAT?!" He took a step back, holding his hands up defensively.

"What do you mean 'what'?!" the girl demanded angrily. "I mean, beating up on a child like that!"

Inuyasha stared at her. "But, I never—" He suddenly collected himself. "Shippou!" he roared, gesticulating in the kitsune's general direction wildly, "Stop makin' things up!" He abruptly crossed his arms, stuffing his hands in his kariginu's wide sleeves and looking away. "Keh, you'd think I'd get some thanks for takin' care of you all this time…"

"You could do it more nicely! You don't like to play games with me, and you never tell me stories," Shippou retorted.

"Do I look like your mother?"

Shippou's face suddenly fell. A single tear trickled down one rounded cheek. "No," he sniffled. "Because my mother is _dead_, you jerk!" His angry snarl quickly dissolved into sobs.

Inuyasha swore loudly and turned away, clenching his hands until his own claws bit into his palms. How could he have said something like that to the kit? He knew the effect talking about his own mother had on him. With a growl he silently cursed himself, wanting nothing more than to take his own words back.

Behind him, the raven-haired girl blinked. She looked between the crying child in her arms and the silver-haired boy who now stood with his back to them. She could see his muscles tensing even through his loose kariginu. There was much more here than she'd imagined.

Well, first things first.

Whispering meaningless but tender words into the nearest of his elfin ears, the girl soothed the sobbing kitsune.

"Shh… I don't think he meant to say that," she murmured.

"I… I know," Shippou hiccupped. "Inuyasha can't help it he's a jerk. He was just born that way."

The girl smiled softly. "Then, let's get him to stop beating himself up, huh?" Gently, she adjusted Shippou to a comfortable position in the crook of her left arm. Then, she turned to the other boy.

"Hey…." A tentative hand reached out to tug at the back of the boy's kariginu. Surprised, he turned around. "I think we got off on the wrong foot." The girl smiled softly. "I'm Kagome."

Inuyasha found himself unable to do anything but stare at her blankly. One minute she was screaming at him and the next she wanted to start over with a friendly greeting. An angry retort began to form on his tongue, but the sudden memory of his earlier vow silenced him. No, there was too much at stake for him to offend her now. At least… more than he'd already offended her. Best to put on his finest manners for the moment.

Recovering, the hanyou crossed his arms over his chest, tucking his hands into the wide sleeves of his kariginu once more. "Inuyasha." He looked away indifferently.

Kagome seemed oblivious to his attitude and simply smiled brightly in return. "Well then, Inuyasha, take me to your people."

He froze. One ear twitched spastically.

"Take you to… my people?" Golden eyes slanted to study the girl curiously. She didn't _look_ crazy.

"Introduce me to your parents, your family. You know, that sort of thing. We _are_ to be married, right?"

Shippou promptly bounced out of Kagome's arms and hopped onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "That's right! You agreed right before you passed out!"

Inuyasha froze, remembering Shippou's earlier comment about his "wife".

He… agreed? Agreed to marry this girl?

The hanyou felt his mouth go dry. His arms dropped loosely to his sides in shock.

"Shippou," he began hesitantly, "Did I _officially_ agree to marry her?" His amber eyes practically begged Shippou to respond in the negative.

The little fox scrunched his face up in thought. "Well, she said you had to marry her to get her help and you said, 'I can do that'…." He looked up at Inuyasha. "That counts, right? One asked, one agreed. That's how it works, isn't it?"

"Y… Yeah," Inuyasha stuttered.

"And, if you don't marry me, I'll be trapped again," Kagome suddenly whispered, drawing Inuyasha's golden gaze to her face. "The spell will take effect again and—"

The hanyou's snort interrupted her.

"Keh! There's no chance of that." Inuyasha crossed his arms once more. "The arrow disappeared."

Kagome shook her head, eyes focused on the ground. "No… before… The miko… She said whoever freed me had to agree to bind themselves to me. To be like a sister should they be a woman. To marry me if they were a man. They were to protect me and keep my powers out of the wrong hands."

Her voice tripped over the words. To protect her. Ha. To keep her safe and locked away was more like it. She was some sort of valuable magical tool. Or maybe a weapon. No one had ever clearly explained it to her. Either way, it meant her life was not to be her own.

She wanted to deny it. Wanted to lie to this boy who was to be her husband, guardian, keeper if he so chose. But, she was afraid of what would happen if she didn't tell him the truth. Afraid of the pain again. Afraid of that arrow hurtling through the air. Afraid of the confused dreams she'd lived in for so long.

Inuyasha looked at the girl closely as she spoke. She looked haunted. Distantly, he wondered if some part of her consciousness had been awake during that long sleep. Lost, floating in a void between life and death. Unable to live. Unable to die.

He pushed the musings down. Time for that later. Now he had to live up to the bargain he'd struck with her… and the vow he'd unwittingly made.

"So, you have to decide if you really want—" she was whispering.

"No."

Eyes still locked on the ground, the raven-haired girl flinched as though he'd struck her.

Inuyasha realized his mistake immediately. "No, no!" He flailed hopelessly at the air, the wide sleeves of his kariginu flapping wildly. "I mean, no, I don't _not_ want to. I—" He straightened. "Shippou. Kirara. Myouga… I know you're on Kirara somewhere."

Two heads turned towards him inquisitively as one tiny face appeared from the fur around Kirara's nose. Kagome started at the site of the diminutive youkai she hadn't even known was there. Then, Inuyasha's next words caught her by surprise.

"You three have to bear witness." Inuyasha focused his attention back to her. His eyes met hers. "I, Inuyasha, son of Inutaishou, agree to take…" He paused. A flush spread over his cheeks like a crimson tidal wave. "Uh…" His gaze dropped to his bare toes. "What was your name again?" he whispered huskily.

"Kagome. Higurashi Kagome," the girl, Kagome, returned dryly. There went a few more cherished childhood fantasies.

"Right." Inuyasha collected himself quickly. "I, Inuyasha, son of Inutaishou, agree to take Higurashi Kagome as my wife." He darted a glance at the three watching youkai. He was met with wide-eyed stares. Golden eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oi, is that all I have to say?" the hanyou snapped.

Shippou and Kirara just stared.

"Er… technically your earlier agreement was binding under youkai law, Inuyasha-sama," the tiny Myouga stammered, watching his young master's heavy brows lower dangerously. "But, this was much more appropriate!" the flea youkai finished in a squeak before burying himself once more in Kirara's creamy fur.

Inuyasha nodded, "Good," he grunted, more to himself than the others. "Now, we can get on to— Huh?" He looked around. The girl… er.. Kagome was gone. She had walked several feet away to stand with her back to him, looking away into the distance.

The hanyou shifted his gaze from Kagome's rigid back to his two visible companions. They were just staring again. Fat lot of help they were being. Trying to get her attention, Inuyasha cleared his throat loudly.

No response.

He scowled. What was with her? Here he'd freed her and agreed to all that she required – given up his only— Well, no need to think too much about _that_. The point was, she should be grateful, happy to be free, curious over how long she'd been imprisoned… Even bemoaning whatever greater being had just cursed her with a youkai… no, worse, a hanyou husband would be an improvement. Anything but this sudden disinterest!

Kagome fought down the rising sobs she felt welling within. Tears trembled, poised to fall, at the corners of her eyes. Everything was happening as she'd been promised. But, that didn't make it any less _wrong_.

She'd always dreamed of the day she would fall in love. And, of the man who would steal her heart. He'd be kind and fun to spend time with. They would meet in junior high, then date in high school, or maybe she'd meet him at college. There would be long walks under starry skies, dinner dates, trips to the amusement park, and, of course, the requisite amount of hugs and goodnight kisses. Engagement would follow and, eventually, a wedding wreathed in smiles and roses.

Kagome would have been among the first to admit that her dreams weren't particularly creative. Any number of cheesy romance novels had more imagination in them. But, that didn't matter. It was what she wanted. Nothing extraordinary. Just a normal, simple life. It was what she wanted.

The tears burst free at last.

It was what she would never have.

She understood little of magic, and the spell surrounding her own sealing had been explained to her only vaguely. But, she could_feel_ the magic binding her to this Inuyasha. Could feel it slowly growing, developing. Into what she wasn't sure. But, she _was_ sure that the magic would _not_ make him love her or she him.

Sobs racked her body. She was virtually married and all she knew of her new husband was his name. Not even his family name, assuming he had one. She was going to be compelled to follow him, probably coerced into helping him find those shards. Those thrice-cursed shards that were the cause of all her grief. They and her own supposed powers.

Why, oh why hadn't she kept her mouth shut before? If she'd never followed that feeling, never prattled about seeing strange lights, never touched that faintly glowing fragment… they'd have let her go. Maybe… maybe then she could have gone home.

Home.

Kagome gasped.

Home!

She spun on her heel, abruptly slamming into a large, scarlet bulk. Looking up, she found a pair of startled amber eyes. Kagome yelped and stumbled back, tripping on the uneven ground and falling onto her derriere.

Inuyasha found himself again unable to do anything but stare. This Kagome's moods changed far too fast for him to begin to follow. One minute the girl had been despondent. He'd been smelling the unmistakable, salty scent of fresh tears, his ears detecting the soft sound of muffled crying. Then, she'd turned around and very nearly trampled over him, suddenly in a hurry. As he gawked at the girl sprawled on the ground before him, she suddenly seemed to find her voice. Standing, she stared up at him with pleading eyes.

"I… Inuyasha… Before you take me away, can… can I go see my family?"

Please. It hadn't worked before, but maybe… Maybe this time the well that had brought her to this place would let her go back home.

"_Her family?_" Inuyasha stared at the girl blankly, his mind trying to process this request. For an instant, it started to wrap around the notion, albeit with some reluctance. He was eager to begin his quest in earnest now that he had someone who could sense the shards from a distance rather than relying solely on rumors and blind luck. But, this girl… She was an anomaly. Her behavior had been erratic since the moment he'd woken her and it was only becoming more so. Maybe it was from the sealing. Who knew what the physical effects of being sealed were on a human? He'd only heard of sealing youkai, who seemed to wake up well enough, if rather furious over their imprisonment. But, a human?

Perhaps visiting her family would be best. They could calm her, and then she could start fresh the next day. She probably needed food and some new clothes anyway.  
The hanyou froze. Wait… Her family.

He swore under his breath.

She didn't know.

Mistaking the silver-haired boy's silence for a negative response, Kagome felt her heart sink. Was he so heartless? If he had been able to free her, he was supposed to have…

"They won't… be there anymore."

The near whisper of a voice was almost lost amid the tempest of thoughts and emotions that was raging within Kagome's dazed consciousness.

"What?"

Inuyasha visibly winced as the girl looked up at him with such a lost, vulnerable look in her brilliant eyes that it took all the restraint he had to keep the memories from overwhelming him. He clenched his fists at his sides. Shippou had looked at him like that when they'd first met. He would never forget those haunted green eyes. In that instant they met his own they were still shining with a tenacious hope, begging him to deny the truth the child already knew with his head but could not yet accept in his heart.

Blistering curses tore through Inuyasha's mind, threatening to spill from his lips. Why did he always have to be the one to look into those innocent eyes and tell them that everyone they loved was dead?

"They won't be there." He forced the words out with effort. "Your family. They won't be there now." Her expression was slowly changing from lost to terror. Undaunted, the words continued to push their way past his lips. Now, they were coming too easily. Too fast. But, he had to say them. Had to get this out. "You've been sealed for fifty years. Probably everyone you knew isn't… there anymore. I—"

He faltered, the putrid flood tumbling from his lips suddenly exhausted. But, there was no taking it back now. Now his only recourse was to fumble through those last two, useless words.

"I'm sorry." The words clawed their way from a suddenly raw throat.

"No."

Inuyasha stiffened, his ears pricking forward to catch the girl's soft whisper. Kagome's head was bowed. Her thin body shook. The salty smell of tears was becoming overwhelming. Loosening one tightly clenched fist, the hanyou moved to lay a hand on her shoulder, no longer able to quell the instinctive urge to comfort.

"_No!_"

His hand had barely grazed her shoulder when Kagome suddenly leapt away. Looking up at him, her face was livid. Blue eyes as liquid as the tears spilling down her cheeks crackled with aqueous fire as they met his amber orbs.

"That's not true!" she shrieked.

For once, Inuyasha couldn't find the anger to retaliate. He remained mute, staring at the raven-haired girl with an unvoiced apology burning in his eyes.

It was her undoing.

If he'd snapped at her, argued with her, she could have suspended belief. But, looking into those soulful eyes, filled with their own remembered pain, destroyed any hopes she had that he was being anything less than truthful. No, he was sincere.

But, she couldn't accept it.

"No! No, they're not!"

With that, Kagome fled the clearing. The well. She had to find the well. It would take her home. Home was in the future. What did it matter that fifty years had gone by here in the past?

All doubts were pushed from her mind. She would not doubt. She would find the well, and it would take her home.

Back in the clearing, Inuyasha stared dumbly at the space the girl had just occupied. Then, with a snarl, the silver-haired boy slammed his fist into the ancient tree on which Kagome had been imprisoned. The old tree's venerable bole absorbed the blow with only a dull thud and the hanyou's angry curses to show it had ever landed.

At Inuyasha's feet, Shippou cringed while Kirara looked on worriedly. "Inuyasha...?" the child began hesitantly.

"I'll find her," the hanyou snapped impatiently. "She just needs a minute."

"What if something attacks her? She's all alone out there!"

"I can't smell any youkai but us for miles. She'll be fine," Inuyasha ground out.

"What if they're downwind?" Shippou was bouncing from one foot to the other in agitation now. "You're going to have been married for an hour, and then she's going to get eaten by some giant centipede youkai!"

Inuyasha's patience, notoriously thin in the first place, snapped. "_Shut up!_" he roared, baring his dog-like canines. "Just shut up! I'll go find her now, okay?! Then, I'll drag her back here kicking and screaming and _you_ can calm her down!"

With that, he was gone, vaulting into the forest canopy above and disappearing through the treetops in angry bounds.

Once the sounds of the hanyou's furious exit had died away, Shippou crossed his arms and allowed a self-satisfied smile to curve his lips. Playing the dog boy was far too easy.

Kagome ran blindly, branches and fallen limbs tearing at cloth and skin alike. She ignored it all, shoving aside anything that immediately blocked her path.

The well. Where was the well? The raven-haired girl searched her memory. She had been running to the well when the priestess had caught her at the tree. She knew she had been close. It _couldn't_ be far. This time, she had to reach it. This time, it had to take her home.

Her breath came in short pants. She had to find it. Had to…

One foot caught on a rock protruding from the ground. With a short cry, Kagome pitched forward, tumbling out into a wide, grassy clearing.

She pushed herself up on shaking limbs, letting a quiet whimper slide from her lips. Her eyes scanned the clearing frantically before lighting on the single, incongruous structure that stood at its center. Kagome gasped.

"The well!"

She forced herself up and lunged for the wooden frame that marked the well's opening. Vines had grown to twine around the wood, splintering and deforming the simple square frame, but it was unmistakably the well that had brought her to this world.

Kagome wasted only a moment peering into the well's depths. The earthen floor was as dry as she remembered, but the heap of misshapen, broken bones – youkai bones the villagers had said - that had littered it fifty years ago was gone. The girl didn't care. She was just as happy not to have to jump down amid the mess. She hefted herself up and onto the rim of the well.

That was where Inuyasha found her. As the hanyou stepped into the clearing carefully, trying not to startle the weeping girl he expected to find, he froze as his auric gaze fell on Kagome's slight form. She was sitting, balanced on the edge of the old well.

What was she—?

His breath caught.

She wouldn't!

Kagome pushed off from the edge, plunging into the darkness below.

A strangled gasp tore from Inuyasha's throat. The hanyou cleared the distance to the well in a single leap, landing on the wooden frame and plunging a searching hand into the gaping hole that was the well. He caught nothing but air. Desperately, keen golden eyes peered into the darkness. At first, he saw nothing. Then, he found her, crouched at the bottom of the shaft, her form only a dim outline in the well's depths.

"Oi! Are you okay down there?" he called. Thank goodness the stupid girl had been too dense to commit suicide in a well deep enough for it to be effective.

The girl looked up at him, and Inuyasha again found himself unable to move. Her face was illuminated by the sunlight streaming past his body. Her blue eyes burned into his own. Then, recognition and despair settled over her features. With a sob, she collapsed in a heap, burying her face in the dirt beneath her.

"No…"

Inuyasha's ears pricked forward to hear the whisper that was her voice as his spirits flagged. Was he so horrible? _Was he_? Anger rose in him, burning away the dismay. If she found him so disgusting, she could just stay down there and he'd find himself another—

Kagome's next words cut through his anger and brought him up short.

"No… I want to go home… No!" Her voice rose into a scream. "_I want to go home!_"

Her screams became a wordless wail as she scrabbled at the unyielding ground with her short nails.

Inuyasha flattened his ears to his skull. He'd never heard such a horrible sound. It tore at his soul. The horrible ululations went on and on, racking the girl's frail body as she clawed at the earth until her fingernails were torn and bloody, her skin raw and blistered.

The harsh, metallic smell of her blood flooded his nose, and the hanyou couldn't take it any longer. He leapt into the shaft, pressing himself to the far wall so as not to land on Kagome. Then, he reached down to grab her wrists and haul the girl to her feet, ignoring the shriek of protest this elicited.

"No!" Words found her again. "Let me go! Let me go!" She twisted in his grasp with a violent, inhuman strength. Frantic, she turned to flail at the unprotesting boy, punching, clawing, tearing at the long forelocks of hair that hung past his shoulders. "I want to go home! Let me go home!" Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her voice was harsh and ragged, her throat raw from screaming. Her cries became gasping sobs as the blows slowly stilled. "I just… just want to go home!" Exhausted, she let herself slump forward, collapsing against Inuyasha.

The boy caught her reflexively, opening his mouth to say something, anything. The words became a gasp as the ground beneath their feet began to glow. He felt a surge of power pulse from the very walls of the well shaft. Azure light flooded the tiny space, and Inuyasha felt himself falling, slipping into the opening portal at his feet.

"What th'—?!"

His words were lost as he and Kagome vanished in a shimmer of blue light.

**To Be Continued...**


	3. Going Home

**Title: **Miscommunication  
**Author: **Kristen Sharpe  
**Date:** January 1, 2004  
**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha, the character and the series, belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., and Sunrise.  
**Author's Note: **Short chapter this time out, but it really was the best place to break this next bit up.

And, since there was some confusion about this, the deal with the time periods for anyone who might be confused: The story opens in the feudal ages. Kagome is from modern times, same as in the original storyline, and found her way to the feudal era fifty years before this story starts. During the brief time before she was sealed, she met only those people who live in the village near the well... In this alternate universe, none of them were anyone we know. Kagome is only now, after being unsealed by Inuyasha, meeting the cast of the show as we all know it and attempting to go back to her home in the future.

And, gah, I've been so bad in not noting some thanks sooner! So then... Thanks to my mother for proofreading this thing and catching everything Spell and Grammar Check didn't. And a tremendous thanks to SageSK, my beta reader, who has and continues to get this thing in the little snatches I manage to write each day and who has been incredible in offering suggestions and advice. And, of course, thanks to everyone on FFN who has reviewed!

**Chapter 3: Going Home**

Inuyasha swore fiercely as the world dissolved around him and the quivering girl now slumped against his chest in exhaustion. His muscles tensed to launch both of them out of the shaft. Only, looking up, he found there was no shaft. The well had disappeared. He and Kagome were drifting in a void.

Curses tumbled from Inuyasha's lips unabated. How could he have missed it? The well was magical. It should have been painfully obvious to him. But, he'd been too concerned with the girl. Now it was too late. They were caught in some sort of limbo. A between place, he sensed. Neither here nor there. An empty world. A place where his normal senses had shrunk to the tiny space he and Kagome inhabited. Only their two forms, illumined by a ghostly light, and an endless expanse of cloudy blue were visible. Only the soft rhythm of their hearts and the girl's ragged breathing met his ears. Only the combined scents carried on their two bodies reached his nose. Only the feel of his own clothes brushing his skin, the girl in his arms, and the ghostly caress of an ephemeral wind tossing his wild, silver mane graced his sense of touch.

But, his sixth sense, the extrasensory gift his half-youkai heritage granted him, was throbbing. The well's magic was old, powerful. And, something whispered, benign. It was not the power of youkai or humans. It was not, he sensed, guided by a conscious mind at all, nor had it ever been. It simply was.

The knowledge calmed Inuyasha only marginally. The well lacked the feel of a trap. There was no anger or malice in its power. But, it had still plunged him into this abyss.

Shifting the unresponsive Kagome into the crook of his left arm, he reached around her with his free hand for the sword slung at his side. He wasn't sure if the magical blade could cleave the veil between this void and reality, but he would try.

Before he could move further, the world was reborn around them.

There was no warning. Nothing to indicate where the void ended and reality resumed.

Inuyasha's hand froze, his body stiffening in surprise as sensation flooded his numbed receptors. In the blink of an eye his tiny world had expanded once more to the world of heightened perception he had always known. And, his deprived senses shuddered at the onslaught.

The hanyou staggered. His eyes were blind in the sudden darkness, his ears ringing with a multitude of distant sounds. But, it was the smells that were the worst. The reek of an incredible, concentrated mass of humanity combined with a myriad of other scents - some identifiable, most not - assaulted his delicate nose. And, entwining with and overlaying each individual odor was an overpowering, noxious emanation with no single source. It was as if the whole world had suddenly become doused in a single, all-encompassing stench.

Choking, Inuyasha released Kagome as he stumbled back against the well's stone wall. The cloying airborne filth of an industrialized metropolis was too much for his canine's nose.

The half-conscious girl finally woke from her stupor as she began to topple forward, her support suddenly gone. Catching herself before she could fall onto Inuyasha, Kagome started, looking first at the coughing boy and then upward. Her blue eyes widened as they slowly discerned the wooden beams of a roof over the opening to the well.

"I— It can't be," she stammered.

But, hope had already blossomed, and it would not be denied. Frantic with the possibilities, Kagome clawed at the walls of the well, seeking a purchase. Before she could work herself into a fresh frenzy, arms wrapped around her waist. And then, she was flying. Momentarily.

Inuyasha landed on the rim of the well and quickly set the girl down before hopping down himself and letting his body fall to the floor in a crouch. Distantly, he realized that the well had suddenly relocated itself inside some structure or another. He and Kagome seemed to be the only beings present, so he didn't pursue it further. His head was spinning too fast for him to bother with further comprehension.

For her part, Kagome was almost as dazed as Inuyasha.

Home. She was home!

Blind to all else, Kagome scrambled up the stairs that led down to the well, here in her time now enclosed within a small shrine building. Her heartbeat thundering in her ears, the raven-haired girl threw herself at the doors that met her at the top of the stairs and thrust them apart. The vermillion light of the evening sun poured into the mini-shrine, washing over her searching face.

Tears once more streamed down Kagome's cheeks as her vision cleared and she found herself staring out at the shrine complex that she called home. A tremulous smile crept across her face as her gaze swept over the courtyard toward the shrine giftshop and, beyond it, the two-story house where her family lived.

"Mama," the girl whispered to herself.

She broke into a run, pelting across the stone flaggings of the courtyard. Inuyasha's words were forgotten. She was going to see her family again.

Mama. She wanted to see her mother's smile. She wanted to throw herself into Mama's arms and never let go. At least not anytime soon.

Ji-chan. She vowed she'd never ignore the old priest's crazy stories again. His tales of magic and evil spirits didn't seem so farfetched at all now.

And, Souta. He could come in her room and kick his soccer ball around all he wanted. She'd never call him a little brat again.

The raven-haired girl reached the door at the side of the house. Yelling, "Mama, Souta, Ji-chan!" she shoved it open and threw herself inside.

Feet barely touching the floor, she charged into the kitchen. "Mama!"

There was no sign of her mother.

"Mama!"

Kagome barreled on into the next room with its long table where her family had always eaten their meals.

There was no one there. No one answering her calls.

"Mama!"

And, then to the next room.

Again, no one.

Desperate, Kagome charged up the stairs.

"Mama!"

Again, she ran room to room, searching. Her mother's room, Souta's room. She paused outside her own room. The door was closed. Her hand inched toward the knob. It was bare. The lacy cover she'd always kept over it was gone.

'_Mama must be here. Maybe straightening my room._'

Repeating this in her mind, Kagome pushed the door open.

"Mama…"

She froze.

"What?!"

The girl took a step backward, her eyes darting around the room. This wasn't her room! But, it was. There was the bed, her desk. But,… It was… wrong. The desk was bare. Her usual clutter of schoolbooks, pencils and paper was gone. The little vanity she kept beside her desk was gone, as was the toy box at the foot of her bed. Her makeup, figurines, posters… Everything that defined the room as 'Kagome's' was gone. The room was no longer hers. It was just a room now.

Something heavy settled in Kagome's stomach.

'_They're just all out…_' she reasoned with herself. '_Maybe at dinner. My room is empty because… because it's been… a few years._'

She was grasping at rationalities.

'_A few years… Like five. And, they didn't think I was coming home, so Mama packed my stuff up…_'

Tears welled in her eyes anew as she imagined her mother packing her things away with teary eyes. Unable to bear more, she turned and ran out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Then, lost, she stopped short and slumped back against it.

'_You've been sealed for fifty years._'

'_No, not fifty!_' Kagome shook her head to drive away the voice. ' _Five or something. They'll be coming in the door anytime now._'

'_They won't… be there anymore._'

"No!" she shrilled aloud, stomping her foot as though her defiance could squash the echo of Inuyasha's soft words in her mind. She turned towards the stairs. She was going to go downstairs and watch T.V. until her family came home.

And, they _would_ come home.

The raven-haired girl was so lost in her thoughts she never saw the elderly man standing uncertainly at the top of the stairs. Only his voice stopped her from plowing into him.

"Miss?"

Blue eyes snapped open as the girl leapt back involuntarily.

"Who are you?!" she shrieked. Her voice was as taut as her roiling emotions, stretched thin and ready to snap.

The old man's lined face crinkled in confusion as he studied her.

"I live here," he said at last. "I'm the priest of this—"

Kagome drew back from him. "No, you aren't! Ji-chan is the shrine priest! His name is Higurashi Shuichi."

"Young lady…" The flustered old gentleman was clearly at a loss. "There hasn't been a Higurashi here in nearly forty years."

Kagome stared at him in horror, edging away slowly as the color drained from her face.

'_You've been sealed for fifty years._'

"No! You're lying!" She slid another step backward.

'_They won't… be there anymore._'

"I… Young lady, just what do you think—?!"

" NO!"

Kagome spun on her heel to run. The hall was short and there was nowhere to go, but she had to get away. Had to get away from this stranger whose words made her stomach twist and tighten. Had to get away from this house that was no longer her home.

She'd barely taken three steps when she abruptly slammed into an unyielding red bulk. Looking up, her glistening eyes met that pair of somber amber orbs she remembered from the clearing.

"Inuyasha…"

His name came out as a sob, a plea that he do something to right this. Say something. Say it wasn't so. But, she knew. Looking into his eyes, Kagome knew.

His arms encircling her as she started to fall backward was the last sensation she recognized before her world faded to black.

**To Be Continued...**


	4. Kagome's Strange New Circumstances

**Title: **Miscommunication  
**Author: **Kristen Sharpe  
**Date:** January 31, 2004  
**E-Mail:** Inuyasha, the character and the series, belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., and Sunrise.  
**Author's Note: **Well, this one took longer than anticipated... but then, the chapter itself is longer than anticipated as well. It evens out, I suppose.

Again, a huge thanks to SageSK for dealing with my uncertainties over this chapter. She endured listening to me prattle on and waffle around between ideas for weeks. She deserves a nice round of applause for putting up with it all. And, thanks also to everyone who reviewed! Yet again, thank you guys so much for the encouragement!

**Chapter 4: Kagome's Strange New Circumstances**

The first thing Kagome became aware of was a cool wind ruffling her hair, brushing greasy strands across her face. How long had it been since she had last washed her hair? Too long if the feel of it was any indication. She needed a shower.

Her mind shifted to other concerns. Where was she anyway? She could feel warm morning sun caressing one cheek and something soft under the other. Not the crisp, smooth softness of her pillow but more of a fuzzy softness. Blearily, Kagome opened her eyes. Cream-colored fur danced before her sleep-crusted eyes. It reminded her of her old cat Buyo.

Buyo….

Kagome sat up quickly, away from her furry pillow.

Buyo! Home!

The top of her head collided with something hard. As spots danced before her eyes, a stifled curse split the air above her.

"What was that for, wench?"

She jerked her head up to meet a pair of burning amber eyes. Her fogged mind searched for where it had seen those eyes before. Amber eyes, a mop of silver bangs reminiscent of a sheepdog, red clothing…

"You!" she yelped as the events of the last day flooded back into her mind.

Inuyasha sniffed. "Keh, glad you remember me." Scowling, he rubbed his chin where Kagome's skull had slammed into him. Girl's head was like a rock.

"Where— Where are we?" Kagome stammered. Memory was inundating her consciousness quickly now. She had been home. But, this wasn't home! "Where is—?"

Without waiting for an answer, Kagome spun around, searching for anything familiar. Instead, she was met by three pairs of eyes.

"Kagome!" the green-eyed Shippou chirped happily.

"Kagome-sama, so good to see you finally awake!" Myouga echoed the fox's sentiments from his perch on Shippou's nose.

Kagome stared at them dumbly before her gaze dropped curiously to the last set of eyes. They were huge and blood-red. Just below them was a short snort, adorned with a pair of long, pointed fangs. The owner of those fangs met Kagome's widening gaze levelly with its own scarlet stare. A deep rumble issued from its throat, vibrating the fur-covered body behind the girl. She was lying on it, Kagome realized with horror. Lying on an animal with a head the size of her torso and fangs as long as her lower arm.

With a short scream Kagome threw herself away from the animal and into Inuyasha, locking her arms around his neck. "What is _that_?"

Now at a distance she could see that the creature was some form of big cat. It was tremendous, with a creamy beige coat and black markings on its head, legs, and the tips of the great, bushy twin tails that rose over its back.

"Gak!" The hanyou in Kagome's deathgrip choked as she cut off his air supply. "Th— That's Kirara, you twit!"

"Kirara?" Kagome's grip didn't loosen. In fact, it tightened as the animal stood, wearing an amused Shippou on its head like a curious living hat.

"Kirara! The cat! The little two-tailed cat!" Inuyasha rasped.

Shippou stifled a giggle.

"_What_?" Kagome sent the silver-haired boy an incredulous look, arms releasing their stranglehold in favor of gesturing with her words. "That cat was _tiny_! This thing is _huge_!"

Inuyasha just gave her a sour look for a moment, rubbing his abused neck. Dealing with this girl was quickly proving painful. How did ordinary humans survive around her?

"Kirara is a youkai. She has two forms," he grunted at last.

Kagome eyed him doubtfully. She looked back at the feline.

The massive animal rumbled anew. As though interpreting the sound, Shippou mumbled, "Oh, right," and bounced off its head to skitter over to Kagome. As soon as he was clear, the beast's body was engulfed in a flash of fire. Then, as quick as they came, the flames shrank and shuddered out of existence in one final, fiery gout. In their wake stood the tiny, two-tailed cat Kagome remembered from the clearing.

The girl gasped.

"Kirara! It _is_ you!"

With a happy trill, the cat leapt to her shoulder and rubbed its cheek against the girl's. Shippou was quick to follow Kirara's lead, jumping onto Kagome's unoccupied shoulder.

Myouga rode along happily. Perhaps he could finally get a little "sample" of Kagome – something his most unreasonable young master had strictly forbidden while she had been sleeping. The old flea was already imagining how sweet her blood was. His proboscis quivering in anticipation, he bounced off Shippou and angled himself at the young woman's exposed neck.

A clawed hand whipped out faster than thought, snagging the flea and closing around him painfully. Kagome blinked at the flash of red and followed it with her eyes back to Inuyasha. The silver-haired boy appeared to be having an argument with his fist, so she turned her attention back to Shippou, who was chattering happily.

"Kagome! I'm so glad you're back!" Shippou bounced on his perch. He was practically vibrating with excitement, his fluffy tail waving. "It's so boring with just Inuyasha and Myouga and Kirara. No offense, Kirara."

The cat mewed in response and contented herself with securing her two tails around Kagome's neck comfortably.

"I..." Kagome wasn't sure what to say.

Wait.

Back…

Back where?

She turned. There, behind her, was the old well. In a field. Four hundred years in the past.

Kagome rounded on Inuyasha. He had finished threatening Myouga and adopted a rather pronounced pout in response to Shippou's comment.

"You brought me back!" the girl snarled.

On her shoulder, Shippou winced as her voice became shrill and let himself slip down her back to the ground wordlessly. Kirara followed him. Even Myouga abandoned his perch on Inuyasha's shoulder and hid in the hanyou's silver mane. This didn't look like it was going to be pretty.

The hanyou, however, seemed relatively unaffected. "Of course I brought you back. You passed out. We were just lucky that creepy well brought us back where we came from." He wrinkled his nose. "The smell in that place was about to kill me. How do you stand—?"

"No!" Kagome interrupted him with a shriek. "Take me back!" She turned toward the well, moving to throw herself in once more.

Inuyasha was faster. Before Kagome could take another step, he was between her and her goal.

"I can't let you do that."

Kagome's jaw dropped in shock. He was going to stop her?

No.

"No!" She tried to slip past him but was again blocked as he slid in front of her. "No!"

Another dodge, another block.

"Kagome..." There was a warning tone in Inuyasha's voice suddenly, a subtle deepening. "Listen to me."

Feint. Block. Dodge. Block.

Kagome didn't listen. Didn't hear the quiet warning. She was blind to all but the dark opening that would take her home.

"No! Take me back! My family probably just moved! I can find them! I can—!"

"That wasn't your home anymore."

What? How _dare_ he?

"Yes, it was!" Kagome's voice was bordering on hysterical again. "Now, take me back!" She raised her hand, unconsciously preparing to strike the boy standing between her and her way home. "Let me go!"

Her hand flew forward.

He caught it mid-swing.

Kagome started, snapping back to reality and instinctively pulling away. Neither the immobile hanyou nor her hand responded to the tug in the slightest. His grip was like iron. It wasn't painful – though the slightest pressure on his part would have made it so – but she was powerless against it.

Hesitantly, the girl met her captor's gaze.

Inuyasha's face had tightened into a dispassionate mask. His amber eyes had darkened and now bored into her own with an incredible intensity.

"That's enough," he ground out around clenched teeth.

For the first time, Kagome noticed the abnormal size of his canines as his lips curled back from them in a restrained snarl.

"You can't go back. There's no where to go back to," the silver-haired boy continued, never relinquishing eye contact or his inexorable hold on her hand. "You've had all night to rest. We're leaving. Now. And, you're coming with us."

Inuyasha's voice was rough, almost a growl. There was no room for argument.

But, that meant nothing to Kagome.

"What do you mean? I never agreed to go with you anywhere!" Kagome tried to pull her hand free again. "Let me go!" It was like pulling against a brick wall.

"Yes, you did." His voice was flat and emotionless. "I gave you my vow that I would marry you if you would use your power to help me find the shards."

The words had barely left his mouth when Kagome felt that acute sense of an ethereal bond between them anew. It felt stretched, pulling at some corner of her being painfully.

"Do you want me to renounce my end of the bargain?" the hanyou demanded tonelessly. His eyes were now completely dark and unreadable.

The air rushed from Kagome's lungs as she felt a sharp stab of pain in her chest.

"I…"

Inuyasha was silent, waiting.

Kagome slumped.

"No. I'll go with you."

"Good."

He released her hand and turned away from her.

Kagome let her hand drop to her side limply. How could she have forgotten? She was a prisoner.

Inuyasha bit back a curse as the smell of the girl's tears reached his nose. He might have known she would cry. Shippou had cried too. He swore silently again. Why did he keep having to deal with this? It was like a sick joke.

The hanyou's internal invective was cut short as a new scent reached his nose. This time, the curse tore from his throat as he wrenched himself around to face his companions again.

"Kirara!"

The firecat had apparently caught wind of the putrid stench as well. She had already transformed to her larger form and was growling softly. The hanyou followed her example and wasted no time in rushing to Kagome's huddled form, grabbing her up and depositing her on Kirara's broad back before she could protest.

Of course, once she was there, she had plenty of time.

"What are you doing?" the girl squawked. A spike of fear laced both her voice and her scent.

The hanyou tried to ignore it. Galling as it was that she feared him now, she would have worse than him to be frightened of in a moment.

"Just sit there and hold on to Kirara as tightly as you can. No matter what happens," he hissed, throwing himself onto the cat just behind her. There was a sudden weight on his shoulder as Shippou joined them.

"Inuyasha," the kitsune squeaked, "I smell—"

"I know," the boy snapped, impatient. "Get off me and get down low." His right hand slid across his chest to rest on the hilt of the sword hanging at his side. "I may have to fight them."

The fox child gulped and obediently leapt down in front of Kagome, burying his tiny hands in Kirara's fur.

Assured his companions were as prepared as he had time to get them, Inuyasha bellowed to the firecat. "Let's go, Kirara!"

The huge feline nodded and lunged into the air. Flames blazed beneath each paw as she literally raced up into the sky, running on air.

Wide-eyed, Kagome clung to Kirara's neck. "What's going on?"

Her companions were silent, tuned to something she couldn't detect. In the silence, she allowed herself to look longingly for the well. It and the clearing that housed it had already been swallowed in a verdant sea of trees. Kagome took a deep breath, forcing down the sobs she felt rising in her throat.

'_Mama… Souta… Ji-chan…_'

Clutching fistfuls of Kirara's soft fur to maintain her balance, she focused on watching the forest roll by below. The trees rushing beneath them abruptly came to an end, revealing blackened, scarred earth. Shattered structures littered the ground. What might have once been rice paddies lay abandoned as nothing more than mud holes.

Kagome's eyes widened, a gasp escaping her.

"What happened down there?" she found herself whispering.

"The same thing that's gonna happen to us if we don't move," Inuyasha answered the involuntary question in a low voice.

The girl turned halfway around to focus her wide, blue eyes on the silver-haired boy. "What do you mean?"

Then, she felt "it", a sudden tenseness deep inside, urging her to action. No, not sudden Kagome realized that the sensation had been teasing the back of her consciousness for some time now, but she had been too lost in her grief and heartache to pay it any mind. Now that she had given the strange presentiment the attention it demanded, it could not be ignored. It was a rush of adrenaline through her veins, a tightening in her stomach, a pulse along some sixth sense she had never known she had until falling into this mad, mad world. And, there was no question as to what it meant. It was a warning, a profound sense that something horrible was coming.

She twisted her head to look around wildly as the realization hit her.

"What is—?"

The sky had darkened. Thick, black clouds blotted out the sun.

Shuddering with the deepening feeling of dread growing in the pit of her stomach, Kagome looked back at Inuyasha again. His mouth was pulled into a grim line.

"Here they come," he growled.

"They?"

A cacophony of horrible voices filled the air, drowning her words. Screams and wails, the cries of thousands, hammered at her ears.

"What _is_ that?" Kagome yelped.

Inuyasha's ears were pinned back. "Those," he began slowly, his voice strangely clear amid the chaos, "are what destroyed that village."

There was no time to digest his words as the leaden clouds suddenly exploded. Creatures of all shapes and sizes burst forth like a terrible, hungry rain. Most looked like hideous, overgrown worms. Some had vaguely humanoid shapes – at least so far as in having the human body structure, give or take the odd limb or head. All shared one singular trait - their gaping, fang-filled mouths and the horrible hungry light burning in their eyes.

Kagome gasped at the sight. "What— What are they? What do they want?"

"They're youkai, and they want… you," Inuyasha answered simply.

"_Me_? Why do they want me? There's not enough of me for all of them to even get a nibble!" Kagome was screaming by this time, her voice rising over the tumult. "Can't they find something bigger to eat? At least a cow or something?"

"They don't want to _eat_ you," Inuyasha snapped. Then, he paused. "Well, they _do_ want to eat you, but it's not for food. They're attracted to your power."

"_What_?"

No answer was forthcoming as Inuyasha turned his attention to their predicament. The youkai were swarming toward them, mindlessly targeting the pure power emanating from the girl now in his care. Inuyasha cursed himself for staying by that wretched well for so long. Stupid sentiments. Thinking he might let the girl offer some parting words. (As if _that_ went over well.) Of course the youkai would have sensed the backwash of miko power when he freed Kagome. And, they were all still crazed, just like so many others. Still filled with bloodlust. They were drawn to any source of power like moths to flame. Running away would not be an option.

The hanyou's face settled into a humorless smile. He despised running anyway.

"Take us right into them, Kirara!" he yelled, removing his right hand from the hilt of his sword and reaching up over his shoulder.

A shriek of protest at the mad proposal died on Kagome's lips as Inuyasha withdrew his hand and flung _something_ into the torrent of youkai. As she watched, the dark matter formed itself into several crescent-shaped arcs of crimson light. Then, the blades of light struck the oncoming youkai, ripping apart all they touched.

Taking that as her cue, the saber-toothed Kirara charged into the opening Inuyasha had created.

Kagome shot a glare at Inuyasha. "Are you crazy?" she squalled. She could hear a second voice, probably the hidden Myouga, screaming something similar from the general direction of Inuyasha's hair. "Are you just going to feed me to them?"

Any more screams were cut off as Inuyasha forcefully pushed her head down with his left hand, the other grasping over his shoulder again.

"Stay low," he ordered.

Kagome tried to question him further and only got a mouthful of fur for her troubles. Giving up on Inuyasha, she instead slipped a protective arm around Shippou, who was huddled under her crouched form. The little fox quivered under her touch, unconsciously snuggling closer to her. Somewhat comforted by one another's presence, the two braced themselves.

The air swelled with the horrible cacophony as Kirara plunged them into the cloud of youkai. And, Inuyasha met it with a deep-throated roar of his own, releasing another volley of his curious energy blades. Again, the blades sliced through the youkai, creating a little pocket of safety for Kirara and her passengers.

Her face buried in the wind-whipped fur of Kirara's tawny mane, Kagome only dared to open one eye. She was greeted with the sight of masses of coiling bodies rushing past. And, the splattered remains of those that got in Inuyasha's way.

Then, suddenly, her field of vision was marred by a single, twisted face. Red eyes burned in deep sockets. A hungry mouth opened wide.

The scream had barely formed in Kagome's throat when the creature struck out with a clawed hand. Shrieking, Kagome jerked away, clutching Shippou to her.

The grasping claws lashed out after her, closing around the kitsune's fluffy tail. Then, with a single tug, he was gone.

"Shippou!"

Kagome threw herself as far to the side as she dared, looking down into the roiling clouds of youkai. There was no sign of the little fox.

"No…"

Above her, Inuyasha swore loudly and, suddenly, he was crouched over her.

"Kirara, head down! Find Shippou!"

Kagome's stomach took wing as Kirara swung her head downward and dove. Then, she felt a sharp tug on her left arm. She looked down to find wild, yellow eyes burning back into her own. For an instant, she thought of Inuyasha. But, no, these eyes held none of his expressiveness or intelligence. They were hungry, burning with a single-minded intent. And, set in a horrible face composed of sagging green skin and jagged teeth.

The girl screamed and jerked away from her assailant. But, its claws only bit deeper into her arm, piercing her thin blouse sleeve like tissue paper. Desperate, Kagome lashed out with her free hand.

Its jaws had almost closed on her thin fingers when Inuyasha ended the short struggle. Hissing a crude comment on the beast's heritage, he slashed his left hand across its torso diagonally. Kagome watched in shock as four parallel blades of energy arced from his clawed fingers, tearing the imp-like creature to shreds. All of it but its arm, which was still firmly latched onto her own. Inuyasha ripped the offending limb away before she could react.

Unfortunately, the action further tore open the claw wounds the creature had made. Blood flowed freely from three deep gouges in her lower arm to run down over her hand.

The girl was too numbed to respond. Too numb to even register the pain.

Inuyasha was not.

With a fresh curse, he lowered himself over her hunched form protectively and reached to gently tug her arm into view. Feeling a stickiness to his touch, Kagome glanced down. She gasped.

The fingers of his right hand were slick with blood.

She twisted to look at him.

"Are you hurt?"

The boy's amber eyes widened in surprise. Then, the familiar smirk claimed his features.

"Keh, it's fine. You're the one that's a mess." A scowl crossed his face, but there was no rancor in it. "Just get them a little more stirred up with your blood scent, why don't you?" With that, he wrapped his sanguine fingers around her arm, covering her blood with his own.

Kagome felt a brief squeeze – a reassurance? Then, he'd released her, drawing away and focusing on their attackers again.

"Kirara, can you see Shippou?"

The firecat answered Inuyasha with a rumbling growl. Then, Kagome's world spun as the cat suddenly banked to the left.

"I see him!" Inuyasha yelled behind her, following Kirara's line of sight.

What? Where? The blue-eyed girl scanned the skies in the hopes of catching sight of Shippou's bright red hair. Then, she saw what Inuyasha had seen. However, unlike her hanyou companion, she could only stare in confusion.

What was a silly-looking pink balloon doing in a cloud of youkai? Let alone in a cloud of youkai centuries before balloons were invented?

And, it was screaming.

Screaming?

"Inuyashaaaa! Get your butt down here and save me!" the balloon wailed. For the first time, Kagome realized that the balloon had a face. Two wide, round eyes and an even wider mouth dominated one half of the "balloon's" spherical body. It also sported a pair of indeterminate, round appendages on either side of its face. Both were beating at the air wildly as the pink creature continued to shriek for help, alternately bellowing insults at Inuyasha and then screaming desperately for his help.

Realization dawned.

"Shippou!"

Kirara swooped toward the hovering, transformed blob that was the little fox. And, she wasn't the only one.

A hulking, porcine ogre had also noted the flailing balloon creature. And, scenting the distinct smell of fox only thinly disguised by the assumed form, singled it out as a likely next meal. Brandishing a bladed staff, the youkai lunged for the helpless Shippou.

"Kirara!" His left hand fisted in the cat's mane, Inuyasha's blood-smeared hand flew to the sword at his side. Tightening his grip on the sword, he let his own youkai power, his youki, flow into the time-worn blade. He felt the familiar pulse as the Tessaiga responded and ripped the sword from its sheath. Before Kagome's astonished eyes a blade emerged from the narrow sheath at Inuyasha's hip that was at least twice the size of its housing. It was tremendous, almost as long as Inuyasha was tall. Its curved length was nearly a foot wide at the tip, and every inch shone like the sun.

Taking the pulse of power from the transformed sword as her cue, Kirara lunged at the ogre. Her jaws parted in a roar of fury as she charged through the air.

The pig-like beast looked up from its helpless prize at her roar and prepared to fight the cat that apparently wanted _his_ tender morsel. It never noticed Inuyasha. Not even when his blazing sword sliced it cleanly in half.

"Shippou!" Kagome cried, reaching out for the metamorphosed fox as Kirara flashed past him.

With a pop and a puff of smoke, he returned to his true form and tumbled into her arms. The girl clutched him tightly to her bosom, resolved that nothing would snatch this child from her arms again.

Assured both his charges were secure, Inuyasha again settled himself low on Kirara's back, leaning over the girl's hunched form and yelling to the firecat anew. "Take us down and under them, Kirara!"

With a growl of agreement, the feline dodged a fresh wave of incoming youkai and plunged downward. More writhing, seething bodies rushed across Kagome's field of vision.

As they hurtled through the masses of youkai, Shippou allowed the strange, new girl to hold him close, privately enjoying the comfort of her embrace. He hadn't been held like this in a long time. It only confirmed his first impressions of this Kagome. He was going to like her. He was glad Inuyasha was taking her as his wife. Granted, his happiness with Inuyasha's choice – forced as it was – didn't stop him from yelling some further insults at the dog-eared boy. Albeit they were muffled ones.

"Did you have to take so long? I was almost that pig's dinner!" he yowled.

Inuyasha shot a dark look in the kitsune's general direction. "Don't make me sorry you weren't, brat," he snapped.

"I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Keh! Shut up and try not to get grabbed this time."

"Can you continue this later?" Kagome demanded, twisting around to look Inuyasha in the eye.

"The brat started it!"

Kagome's blue eyes narrowed. "He's a child. You're old enough to know better." With a sniff, she faced forward once again, her hair flipping Inuyasha in the face.

With a growl, the hanyou shoved the ebony strands out of his eyes. "Now, listen here—!"

The conversation came to an abrupt halt as Kirara suddenly snarled, her body shaking beneath them. All eyes slowly turned to face forward.

A pointed nose topped by two gleaming eyes rose before them. Slowly, the beaked snout slid apart, revealing a mouth full of razor sharp fangs.

Staring into the gaping maw, Kagome and Shippou's faces held identical looks of surprise and horror. Inuyasha's visage held only irritation as he slowly reached for his sword.

Shippou broke the little group's silence with a sudden scream.

"It's gonna eat u—omph!"

The kitsune's cry became a muffled yelp as Inuyasha yet again forced Kagome's head down, effectively tamping the fox's shrieks in Kirara's fur. With a deliberate, practiced slowness the hanyou drew his transforming sword. His eyes narrowed.

"Kirara! Charge!"

Kagome felt the tawny body beneath her lurch. She tightened her grip on the cat's creamy fur, arms placed to either side of Shippou. Above her, there was a surprised roar of agony from the snake creature followed by a horrible wet, sucking sound. Then, nothing.

The girl felt the ominous knot in her stomach uncoil. She opened her eyes. Clear blue sky greeted her. They were through. The howls of the youkai were rapidly fading into the distance. And, the release of the foreboding feeling she had sensed assured her they were safe.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Kagome tilted her head back to look at the azure sky. Something sparkled in the golden light of the morning sun. Kagome looked up at it curiously. Snow? Rain?

"Oi… Kagome…," Inuyasha started behind her.

One of the "sparkles" splashed across the bridge of her nose. For an instant, Kagome stared at it cross-eyed in confusion. Then, the smell hit her.

A squawk erupted from the startled girl. "What is this?" Kagome pawed at the noxious substance, swiping it across her hand and bringing it into her field of vision.

Thick, black ichor dripped from her fingers.

As she was still staring at the goo in horror, Inuyasha piped up and confirmed her worst fears.

"That's that snake's guts."

--------------------------------------

"You didn't have to scream like that," Inuyasha groused, idly rubbing one of his pointed ears as he crouched by Kagome. His face was set in the familiar petulant scowl Kagome was already learning to dread.

"You could've told me sooner!" she snapped back, furiously scrubbing at her hands in the fast-flowing stream Inuyasha had located for them. Hands cleaned to her satisfaction, she drew in a deep breath and leaned over to splash the icy water onto her face, rubbing her nose vigorously. The water was frigid, but she refused to run around with something's _guts_ on her _face_. And, Inuyasha had assured her that she smelled so bad he would dunk her in bodily if she wouldn't do it herself.

Shooting the hanyou a murderous glare, Kagome batted her face dry on her clean sleeve. That done, she turned her attention to the blood-stained mess of the other. The wound wasn't hurting, but she had no illusions that that would continue once she pried the crusty blouse off it. Maybe the freezing water could numb it a bit. Steeling herself, Kagome plunged her arm into the stream.

As expected, the icy waters dulled the immediate pain, and Kagome did her best to clean the affected area, sleeve and all, even as her fingers grew clumsy with cold. When she could bear it no longer, she pulled her arm free, shivering and clutching her numbed limbs to her chest.

"Oi, don't do that!" Inuyasha barked, realizing the girl was further soaking herself. "Here."

Kagome barely had time to react as his kariginu suddenly came sailing through the air towards her. Fumbling, she caught it by one wide sleeve with her stiff hands.

"Eh?" There was no answer. After a brief inspection, mainly to make sure that it was free of youkai guts, Kagome draped the heavy material over her shoulders like a cloak. Turning, she found the hanyou wearing only an off-white undergarment that had been pulled down to bare his left shoulder. With a messy swipe, he splashed water over the bare skin. Watching him, Kagome forget her concerns over her own wounds.

"What about you?" she asked, reaching out to tug his clothes down a little further. "Did you hurt your shoulder? You were bleeding."

"Hey!" With a sharp jerk Inuyasha hauled the shirt back up and over his shoulder. But, not before Kagome saw the five thin lines marring the smooth skin of his back.

"Were you hurt?" she asked as the hanyou busied himself adjusting his clothing.

"No," Inuyasha grunted, standing. "It's just where I cut myself a little so I could use that attack."

Kagome rose to her feet as well. "Attack?"

"Back there, with the youkai. That's what I threw at them. My blood infused with my youki." With the opposite hand on his injured shoulder, he rotated his right arm experimentally, stretching his muscles. Finding no undue stiffness that would prevent full use of the arm, he re-focused on Kagome. She was gawking at him. "What?"

"You mean you cut yourself open to do that?"

The boy shrugged indifferently. "Keh, it's no big deal. What about your arm?" Before she could react, Inuyasha had pulled her arm free of the kariginu and held it up to his face. For a moment, he appeared to scrutinize the wounds. Whatever he saw must have satisfied him. He grunted something akin to, "Good," and released her. "They're not that deep. They should heal well enough."

"Oh." Not knowing what else to say, Kagome nodded dumbly as Inuyasha turned away from her.

"Come on." Without another word, the hanyou began striding back along the narrow animal track they had followed down to the stream.

Kagome trailed behind, letting Inuyasha lead the way back to the small clearing in which they had left Shippou and Kirara. Her mind was swirling with thoughts and questions. Just who was this boy she was bound to? _What_ was he? Yesterday, Shippou had briefly explained Inuyasha's mixed heritage - and the somewhat negative connotations it carried - as they had watched him slowly transform from human to hanyou.

Hanyou; that was Inuyasha. Half human, half youkai. Simple enough on the surface. But, what was a youkai? Her grandfather had told her countless legends about youkai. The villagers she had met briefly prior to her sealing had told similar stories. Stories of monsters and magic, creatures who lurked in the shadowed, untamed parts of the world.

The girl shivered a little. She had seen those creatures. Her right hand rested involuntarily over the long gashes in her arm, pulling the affected limb closer under the warmth of Inuyasha's kariginu.

But, what about Inuyasha? And, Shippou? And, Kirara? They weren't monsters.

She was still puzzling over it all when an odd prickling feeling ran up her spine. Quickly, she spun around, searching the underbrush. There was nothing to be seen. She turned back to call to Inuyasha. With a start she realized that the white-haired figure ahead had disappeared. Kagome blinked. She was back in the clearing where they had landed after the attack earlier. Kirara, still in her larger form minus the flames, greeted the girl with a purr-like rumble and then resumed a quiet vigilance of the silent forest. Shippou was curled up in a pile of dead leaves, snoring softly.

Kagome sighed, still seeing no sign of Inuyasha. Maybe he had slunk off to visit the little boys'… bush. Shivering lightly, the girl settled herself against a tree, slipping her arms into the wide sleeves of Inuyasha's kariginu and wrapping it around herself properly. She was wet, she was bone tired, she was filthy, she was hungry, and she was so spooked she was jumping at things that weren't there. Moreover, she was seated on the cold, hard ground in a forest somewhere four hundred years from home. Not for the first time, she felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

It was so hard to accept that her family was gone. They couldn't be gone. They just couldn't.

"Kagome?" Shippou's hesitant voice snapped her out of the gloomy thoughts. Looking up, their eyes met. Shippou's bright eyes were soft, uncertain. Kagome offered him a small smile. Immediately, his bouncy, cocky self was back. "Inuyasha forgot humans get cold easily again, didn't he?" He made a face. "Stupid Inuyasha."

"But, he gave me—" Kagome started, attempting to point out that the hanyou had left her with his outer garment.

It was no use. Without another word, Shippou had called for Kirara. Kagome gasped softly in surprise as she found herself suddenly wrapped in Kirara's two tails, the cat's body curled comfortably against her back. Just as she had slept the previous night. It was incredibly warm and cozy.

Quickly, Kagome sniffed back her tears as Shippou leapt into her lap.

"Thank you." Unconsciously, she hugged the little fox close.

Shippou stared up at the girl. He knew what she must be going through. It wasn't so long ago that he had lost his own family. His little face scrunched up in thought as he wondered what to say to her. Comforting grownups wasn't something he was accustomed to. Fortunately, Kagome saved him the trouble.

"Where did Inuyasha go?" she asked, scanning the trees for any sign of his red clothing.

"Oh," Shippou was unconcerned, "he probably went to get some food."

"Food? From where?" With Shippou still in her lap, Kagome leaned back into Kirara's soft fur, getting more comfortable.

"Probably fish." Shippou made a face. "We eat a lot of fish. Inuyasha says all the larger game is still hard to find because of Naraku."

"Naraku?"

In answer, Shippou leapt from Kagome's lap to stand in front of her. "It's a long story. I'll have to tell you everything from the beginning." He plopped down onto the ground, crossing his short arms over his chest and adopting his best "serious" face. He opened his mouth to begin his tale.

"Shippou!" In an instant, Myouga had bounced from Kirara to fasten himself on Shippou's nose. "You know Inuyasha-sama means to tell her himself. He'll be furious if you—"

Shippou casually flicked the flea off his nose, sending him sailing into the nearby bushes. Then, he looked up at Kagome earnestly. "Inuyasha can't tell stories right. He gets tired before he's even started, and he ends up just saying, 'Look, it doesn't matter anyways. The important thing is what we're doing now!' then he crosses his arms and looks away." Shippou did a very credible impression of Inuyasha's classic pose.

Kagome giggled. She had only known Inuyasha for one full day, but the stance was already immediately recognizable.

"So, what is the story?"

"Oh, right." Shippou resumed his solemn sitting position. "You see, there was this guy called Naraku. He was sort of a hanyou… But, not like Inuyasha. Inuyasha may be a half-breed, but he's of noble blood." There was almost a note of pride in his voice that made the raven-haired girl wonder what lay hidden beneath the two boys' bickering.

"Naraku was born human, but he cast a spell so that all these youkai merged with him, giving him their power." Shippou paused. He didn't know much more about Naraku's past. Best to skip ahead. "Then, he formed an army of lesser youkai."

"Lesser youkai?" Kagome broke in.

"Like those nasty things that attacked us today." Shippou sniffed. "Not like me and Inuyasha. Even Kirara's stronger than them."

The feline youkai mrred in agreement.

Well, that explained a couple things, Kagome mused. Lesser youkai…

"So, Naraku formed his army, and they helped him find all the pieces of the Shikon no Tama." He paused. "You know what _that_ is, right?"

Kagome nodded. "It's a jewel with incredible power, right?"

"Incredible." Shippou spread his arms wide, indicating the vastness of the jewel's power. "With it, Naraku could do all sorts of things. He split himself into pieces, forming these other youkai from his own body. His two main ones were Kagura and Kanna. They were really powerful."

"So, what happened?"

"Well, eventually, the youkai and the humans joined forces. Naraku had attacked everyone's villages, destroying everything." Shippou's eyes focused on the ground. "It was really awful then," he murmured softly. He abruptly shook his head and looked up quickly. "So, everyone joined against him. There was a huge battle. The wolf youkai tribes were there and so were the humans from the taijiya village. Then, Inuya—"

"Oi, Shippou!"

With a thump Inuyasha landed between Shippou and Kagome. Before either could react, he shoved an armload of fish at Shippou.

"Make with the foxfire, runt."

Ten minutes later, Kagome had two new vows. One was to hear the rest of the story about this Naraku. The second was to teach Shippou how to cook. Apparently, Inuyasha had decided that the young kitsune's magical foxfire was more efficient than a conventional campfire and it had become the little band's typical method of cooking their food. Or flash frying their food, however you wanted to look at it.

The girl studied the blackened remnant of a fish that had been offered to her on a stick. She glanced up. Inuyasha and Shippou were devouring their own fish, squabbling over the larger ones in the pile between them.

"That was mine, Inuyasha! It's crispier!"

"That's why it's mine, brat!"

"No fair! I cooked that one special!"

"So, cook another one."

"You jerk!"

"I'm the jerk who saves your butt all the time."

Apparently, they had acquired a taste for char.

Myouga wasn't in sight, and Kagome had no desire to ponder what sort of meal _he_ was having. Kirara was daintily eating her own share and, for just a moment, the girl envied the cat her raw dinner. But, she decided against fighting a shape-shifting, fiery monster cat over its food and settled to nibbling at her own offering. What it lacked in taste her empty stomach's hunger more than made up.

Her stomach still feeling hollow, the girl found herself hesitantly venturing into the war zone around the remaining fish. She had barely taken two steps when a second well-done fish on a stick was thrust toward her.

"Here," Inuyasha grunted.

Kagome took it, murmuring her thanks. She started to return to her spot by the tree when a quick glance confirmed that the fish in her hand was the last one. She paused, turning back to the silver-haired boy.

"Uhm… Are you sure you or Shippou don't want—?" she began hesitantly. She could hear her stomach rumbling angrily at her traitorous good manners.

But, it was spared further discomfort as the hanyou waved his hand lazily. "We were saving it for you." He flopped back on the ground, propping his head up with one hand. Shippou had already fallen asleep beside him, his little stomach round and tight as a drum. "If you're still hungry after that, I'll get more."

"I… Thank you."

"Keh." It was as close to, "You're welcome," as Kagome suspected she would get.

The girl retreated to her little corner of the camp and ate in silence, watching Inuyasha. He seemed to be dozing as well, but his ears moved continuously, twitching this way and that.

Again, she wondered at him. Her new fiancée. He had freed her. He had denied her her home. He had obliquely threatened her. He had saved her. He had cared for her.

At length, there was nothing more worth picking off the remains of her fish, and all her questions and concerns were rapidly fading into so much mental static. Kagome tossed the fish, stick and all, into the woods. Drowsily, she leaned back against her tree. She was dead to the world long before her half-youkai companion crept over to settle a sleeping Shippou and Kirara against her.

"Hmph, you're gonna be trouble, aren't you?" he whispered to the sleeping girl as he tucked the kariginu she still wore around her and his other charges. With a shake of his head he leapt up into the lower branches of Kagome's tree. His back against the trunk and the sheathed Tessaiga resting against his shoulder, he took up watch for the night.

The surrounding forest was unnaturally silent. It was a silence he had grown accustomed to in the aftermath of the horror Naraku had unleashed. But, something felt even more unnatural than the norm tonight. He sniffed the air experimentally. He found only the scents he expected - mouldering leaves, small animals, and a myriad of other scents he knew well. For once, there was no blood on the wind. The hanyou relaxed fractionally.

As the long hours passed, his head slowly dropped to his chest, his breathing becoming deep and even. His ears stilled and drooped.

The little clearing settled into an eerie calm. And, somewhere within the silent trees, a voice whispered to itself.

"My children. My poor lost children."

**To Be Continued...**

**Just a note:**  
Yes, I realize that Shippou's story about Naraku casting a spell to merge himself with youkai is not true to the canon. However, remember that, not only is this an alternate universe, that was the Shippou version, and Shippou really doesn't know a lot about it.


	5. Lost Children

**Title: **Miscommunication  
**Author: **Kristen Sharpe  
**Date:** January 17, 2005  
**E-Mail:** Inuyasha (based primarily on the anime)  
**Genre:** AU (alternate universe)/action adventure  
**Rating:** PG  
**Warnings:** Likely to have no more than PG level violence.  
**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha, the character and the series, belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., and Sunrise.  
**Author's Note:** My apologies that this is so very late in coming. I've been struggling with this story for quite a while now. I think I've finally settled on what I want for it and tweaked the earlier chapters accordingly. However, nothing crucial has been changed. More notes on my changes can be found at the end of the chapter.

Again, I'd just like to thank everyone who has read this and everyone who's reviewed in the long months since my last update. You've all been a wonderful encouragement! Also, thanks to Sage, who has endured long brainstorming sessions with me. And, thanks to those who reviewed with suggestions and feedback on the last chapter. Your comments were invaluable.

**Chapter 5: Lost Children**

"Kagome. Kagome, time to get up."

'_Mama._'

Her mother's voice…

'_Mama? How?_'

Kagome's eyes slid open slowly. She was greeted by the familiar view of her bedroom. The same view she had awakened to all her life, give or take a few changes in décor. Everything was just as it should be. Just as she remembered it.

Stunned, the girl sat up quickly, taking in the room with wide eyes. Her room. Her vanity still sat beside her desk, her makeup in a tidy clutter against the mirror. The desk was strewn with pens and a scattering of papers. Her schoolbag rested beside it, overstuffed as usual.

"Was it all… a dream?" she whispered to herself.

The girl glanced down at herself to find she was dressed in her favorite pair of long-sleeved yellow pajamas. Quickly, she shoved the left sleeve up. Her arm was clean. There was no sign of blood, no sign of her injuries. Not even the scabs remained.

"It— it was a dream," she breathed.

"Kagome?"

At the soft voice Kagome looked up to find her mother standing just inside the door to her room. A gentle smile tugged at her lips as she studied her daughter's shocked expression.

"Mama!" Desperate to feel her mother, desperate to touch her, to prove she was real, Kagome threw herself at the petite woman. Her arms locked around her mother's waist and she held on tightly. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. It had been a dream. A frighteningly real, bizarre dream, but a dream nonetheless.

After a moment's surprise, her mother began to rub her back comfortingly. "Shh," she murmured. "It's alright. Everything's alright now."

---------------------------------

Shippou shivered. It was cold tonight. Sleepily, he curled himself into a ball, tucking his nose under his bushy tail. His body wound into itself, the little fox considered the possibility of sneaking into Inuyasha's kariginu. It was incredibly warm in there, whether from the hanyou's natural body heat or the magical nature of the fire rat's fur that made up his kariginu and hakama Shippou didn't know. Nor did he care. It was warm. That was all he needed to know.

But, the trick to joining in that warmth lay in convincing Inuyasha that it really _was_ cold enough to warrant the intrusion. The hanyou, contrary to his often harsh words, was never cruel, but neither was he indulgent. Moreover, he was obsessive about his personal space.

"Are you cold, Shippou?"

The voice shattered Shippou's thoughts. It was a voice that often filled his dreams. A voice that had begun to grow distorted in his young memory, despite his best efforts to hold on to every nuance. A voice he had thought that he would never hear again.

Half-disbelieving, Shippou's green eyes flew open to search out the source of that dear, familiar voice.

"Okaa?"

His mother's beautiful face, its angular curves softly lit by the warm glow of a fire, smiled down at him. Her emerald eyes danced with the gentle laughter he remembered all too faintly. But, as she chuckled and reached to pull him from the soft furs of his bed, memories rushed back to him. Memories of the soft-spoken vixen that was his mother. Memories of this warm, glowing room where life was simple and safe.

"OkaaOkaaOkaaOkaa!"

Shippou threw himself onto his mother, his wild, desperate chant filling the room.

He was home. He needed no explanations.

-----------------------------------------

Inuyasha awoke with a start. It only took a moment for him to realize that this was not where he had fallen asleep. Instantly, he was on his feet in a ready crouch. His auric gaze swept his surroundings, eyes fighting to adjust to the darkness. It quickly became clear that he was in a night-shrouded room hunched over a now very rumpled futon. The change in scenery was baffling but more distressing was the news his nose relayed.

'_This smell…_'

A quick glance with his now fully adjusted eyes confirmed his fears.

"No!" The half-youkai leapt up from the soft futon. "What am I doing here?" he hissed, urgently searching his memories for some clue as to how he'd returned to this place. How he'd come… home.

Soft footsteps reached his ears, padding quietly down the corridor outside the room, his room. The glow of a light accompanied it, visible through the thin shoji screen that opened on the room. Inuyasha allowed himself a quick sniff. Yes, it was as he'd suspected.

With a quiet scraping sound the shoji slid away, and a soft voice floated into the room.

"Inuyasha…. are you alright?"

Reluctantly, the silver-haired boy turned to face the speaker. His body tensed as though for a fight. His hands curled into claws and then tightened into fists before finally relaxing.

"I— O—"

The raven-haired woman in the doorway smiled. Her brown eyes were bright, the flecks of mahogany shining in them complimented by the vibrant red of her multi-layered kimono.

"Welcome home, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's amber eyes narrowed to slits in response. "Ofukuro… Why did you drag me back here?"

---------------------------------------

Myouga was becoming frantic. The little flea had woken from a particularly bizarre dream involving his centuries dead mother, whose face was only a shadow in even his clearest memories, to find the air thick with magic and Kirara's frantic cries. The firecat was pawing desperately at the unmoving forms of Kagome and Shippou

It only took a few minutes to confirm that the two were completely unresponsive. Huddled together, they slept with peaceful smiles on their faces, oblivious to every effort he and Kirara made to wake them.

Inuyasha had proved at least marginally better. Periodically, his face twisted in a snarl and hot curses hissed across his lips in a furious, profane litany. Myouga had almost thought he was waking several times. He had even leapt away once, anticipating a quick and violent squashing. But, it never came.

Now, hanging from Inuyasha's nose, the flea peered into the hanyou's face. Inuyasha's brows were drawn tight, his face set in a scowl, but he made no move to awaken. Not even when Myouga paused his frantic calls to pierce the tip of the boy's nose and noisily help himself to a midnight snack.

His tiny body swollen from that effort to rouse his young lord, Myouga finally let himself slip from the hanyou's nose. Despondently, he perched instead on the lax arm that still clutched the Tessaiga.

"It's no use," he moaned. "Kirara!" He bounced to Inuyasha's shoulder and looked to the ground below. "Have you had any luck?"

The feline youkai mewled plaintively in response before butting her head against Kagome's cheek yet again.

"Oh, this is awful!" Myouga threw himself back onto Inuyasha's nose and stared at his young lord's face. "It's a spell; I can feel it. But, what kind?"

On the ground below, Kagome rolled away from Kirara's incessant cries, a single word escaping her lips.

"Mama."

---------------------------------------------

Kagome looked up at her mother, her arms loosening to allow her to pull away a bit.

"I guess I should get ready for school," she murmured, giving her mother a watery smile. She didn't want to leave this warm embrace. But, the simple acts of everyday life would be comforting as well. Back to school and homework, back to squabbling with Souta, back to being bored by Ji-chan's endless supply of pointless old legends. Back to a normal life.

She started to extricate herself from her mother's arms to go get dressed. Mama stopped her with a light squeeze on the arm.

"It's not a school day." She smiled. "Why don't you get dressed while I go fix some breakfast?"

Kagome nodded.

Once her mother had left, closing the door softly behind her, the girl turned to the task of finding some clothes. Opening her closet, her hands immediately fell on a pale blue sundress. Blinking, Kagome pulled it out.

"I remember this."

Her fingers smoothed out the long, full skirt. The dress, its blue the perfect match for her eyes, had been a gift for her tenth birthday. Her mother had presented it to her over breakfast so she could wear it to school that day.

"But, it won't fit now," she reminded herself, moving to hang the dress back in its place. Then, she stopped. On a whim, she carried the dress over to the floor length mirror that hung on the back of her room door, holding it up to test the length. The blue cloth terminated just below her knees, the same, perfect length she remembered.

"I thought I'd grown more...," the girl murmured, bemused. She wondered… Would it still fit? She laughed aloud at the thought. "Of course it won't fit me now."

But, she indulged herself and, humming a happy tune, shed her pajamas to slip into the sundress. Amazingly, nothing felt tight or uncomfortable. Marveling at that, Kagome stepped back in front of the mirror.

The dress fit perfectly.

Her blue eyes wide, the girl ran her hands down the dress. Then, she smiled, eyes twinkling.

"Guess I will wear it then."

She danced from the room, feeling as carefree as the morning the dress had been new.

---------------------------------------

The fiery roar of Kirara's transformation sent Myouga reflexively cowering into Inuyasha's silver mane. After a moment, sensing no immediate danger, he re-emerged.

"What is it, Kirara?"

The firecat growled, her body rigid. Her ruby eyes darted from Kagome's sleeping form to the surrounding forest. Something was wrong. Something was wrong with her charges, and she wanted to savage whatever had caused it.

Myouga followed the cat's furious gaze to Kagome. As his eyes lighted on her face, he gasped. In an instant, he was at the girl's side, studying her features. His eyes had not lied. Kagome was getting younger, her face taking on the rounded contours of late childhood.

"What magic could this be?" His words trailed off as Shippou, cuddled in Kagome's arms, mumbled, "Okaa." "It couldn't be…," the flea whispered, his eyes roaming the darkness around them. "This is much too powerful for—"

In the tree above, Inuyasha abruptly snarled, "I _am_ watching my language!"

Myouga's eyes widened as the only possible answer to the mystery became clear.

"Kirara!" All six tiny limbs flailing, he leapt in the feline youkai's face. "This looks like the work of the Nothing Woman. She should be a youkai with the appearance of a human woman with no face. She may even smell much like a human."

The firecat needed to hear no more. Finally something her claws and teeth could confront. No more helpless mewling. With a growl, she lunged into the underbrush. Then, she was gone, swallowed by the shadows with no further sound to mark her passing.

Myouga watched after her a moment. Then, he shook his head and turned back to Kagome and Shippou. He gasped as the already tiny fox kit began to shrink before his eyes.

"It's getting worse. If Kirara doesn't find the Nothing Woman soon…"

Determinedly, he latched himself onto the kitsune's cheek.

Shippou only snuggled closer to Kagome, lost in a dream where his mother cradled him in her arms, crooning soft lullabies almost lost to his memory.

After just a few moments, Myouga was once again bloated several times his normal size. The old flea extricated his proboscis with a groan. It was simply not working. The brief sting of his bites wasn't near enough to rouse the spell-bound youths. Distressed, he swung his gaze to Inuyasha. The hanyou was still shifting restlessly on his perch, but there was no sign that he was aging backward like Kagome and Shippou.

Myouga's eyes narrowed. The boy seemed more agitated than before, almost to the point of waking. With renewed hope, the tiny retainer bounded to Inuyasha once more.

"Inuyasha-sama!"

--------------------------------------------

"What do you mean saying that I never left? Of course I left!" Inuyasha roared at the woman before him. "And, I'm not staying here until I finish what I set out to do."

The woman's soft voice cut across his snarls. "Not staying? But, I'd been waiting for you to get back." She smiled. "Please, Inuyasha. It's okay now."

"What do you mean, 'It's okay'?" Inuyasha's face tightened. "_Nothing_ is okay!"

"Inuyasha-sama!"

Inuyasha's ears flicked toward the voice.

'_Myouga…?_'

He half-turned.

"Inuyasha-sama!"

The world around him shuddered. The wooden walls began to blur into the woman before him. In moments, the two became no more than an amorphous blob. Everything was fading into meaningless flashes of imagery.

In reality, Inuyasha's thick lashes fluttered.

Myouga's hopes soared.

"Inuyasha-sama!"

"Myouga?" Inuyasha's voice was no more than a whisper as his amber eyes began to slide open.

------------------------------------

The willowy form of a woman glided through the trees, the ragged remnants of a kimono flapping around her. Her movements were quick and furtive. The cat youkai was not far behind, and she was losing the boy. Her poor boy who needed her so desperately. His soul was so torn, his heart so hurting. She could heal that void in him.

A frail hand reached to touch where her heart might have been, where her heart should have been. She could feel the faint pulse there. With the power she had recently gained, it could become a true heart with only a bit more.

The children could heal her void as she could theirs. The girl and the fox child were so content now. Only the boy remained. She only needed to find what it was he needed. She had offered him a mother and felt the healing her presence brought to his heart despite his apparent anger. But, he wanted something more. She just had to find it.

Gaining a momentary distance on her relentless hunter, she paused and reached within herself to tap the power she had gained and focus it outward into the boy. In her chest, a vibrant light began to pulse.

-------------------------------------------

Inuyasha squinted at the hazy image of Myouga's tiny face. What was the old flea on about?

Abruptly, his vision flickered. Myouga was replaced by the familiar, delicate face again, the dark forest by the dimly lit room from before.

"Inuyasha," the woman called.

The hanyou's half-opened eyes grew soft and distant.

Myouga saw it and recognized the tender expression for what it was. Inuyasha was falling back under the Nothing Woman's spell. "Inuyasha-sama!" Myouga clambered fully onto Inuyasha's nose and began to flail at the boy's face with all four of his tiny fists. "No, Inuyasha-sama! That's not your lady mother! Either of them!"

Inuyasha's eyes suddenly narrowed, hardened.

"I can't stay." The words whispered over his lips, slurred with sleep. He shook his head to add a visual to the faint hiss of words, very nearly dislodging Myouga from his precarious perch. "Not now. Not yet."

"Yes!" Myouga crowed, hearing this declaration.

In the dream world, Inuyasha turned his back on his mother resolutely. He could not stay. He had to go. Now. Before she could persuade him otherwise.

"I have to gather all the shards," he asserted in a low voice.

One foot slid forward, then another.

Myouga's voice was growing louder.

"Inuyasha."

The third voice froze the boy where he stood. His feet suddenly refused to move.

It could not be.

Slowly, he turned. A second figure had stepped up beside his mother, a small, knowing smile playing across the achingly familiar pale face.

For an instant, Myouga thought it was over. Inuyasha's golden eyes slammed open to their fullest extent, wide and searching.

"Inuyasha-sama!"

The hanyou only choked out a single, strangled syllable in response.

"—Ki—!"

His eyes slid closed. His body slumped back against the tree limply as he settled into a deep sleep.

"Noooo!" Myouga wailed. "Inuyasha-sama! Inuyasha-sama!"

----------------------------------

Kagome was just picking up the bowl of miso soup her mother had prepared when a curious shiver flashed through her being. Startled, she paused and looked around curiously. Everything was as it should be. Still, something told her to look. There was something she needed to find. Something she needed to remember. The blue-eyed girl cocked her head to one side. Had she forgotten something?

"Kagome?"

Starting out of her musings, she looked up at her mother.

"Your soup is getting cold," the short-haired woman admonished gently.

"Oh!" Pushing the nagging feeling aside, Kagome focused on her breakfast. Still, she found herself taking discreet glances around the room. What was it, this feeling? It was strangely familiar. A memory fluttered at the edges of her mind, dancing just out of conscious reach.

Frowning, Kagome began to go over possibilities in her mind. Mama had said there was no school today. But, what day was it? Was there school tomorrow? Had she forgotten an assignment?

Abruptly, she felt her mother's arms entwining themselves around her. Kagome immediately relaxed into the embrace, again flooded with the need to feel her mother's tangible presence.

"Shhh… It's okay now, Kagome," her mother soothed. "You can rest now. Everything will be okay now."

The girl just nodded, snuggling into the comfort of her mother's arms. Her earlier concern melted away. So long as Mama was here, it would be alright. She was safe now. She couldn't remember being in danger, but it felt as though she had been far, far away. Only now had she come home where she belonged.

"Yes," Mama whispered, "you're where you belong now."

"Mmmmm," Kagome agreed with a wordless mewl, cuddling her increasingly little body tighter into her mother's lap.

-------------------------------------------------

Stumbling up the slick, muddy stream bank, the Nothing Woman tugged her tattered kimono higher to allow greater movement. Its sodden length slapped against her legs.

An old memory had prompted her into the water to escape the cat youkai. A man's voice, long ago, lecturing that water left no scent trail, instructing her to wade down the middle of a stream to escape pursuing youkai. It had been countless years since she'd worried about such. None hunted her now. She existed, but her body held little life, only the shadow of lives long since destroyed. She was neither living flesh nor, until recently, possessed of any great power. Nothing sought her kind. She was a creature of despair. A lost soul.

But, not for much longer.

The shadow of a face glided across her empty features as she slipped through the trees toward the little camp she had circled. The stream's winding course had served her well.

Her false body quivered in joyful anticipation as she threaded her way through the underbrush. Finally! She would be complete. The boy and the girl were melding into her, their heavy hearts lightening into the innocence of childhood. They were both powerful in their own ways, and that power was becoming her own. The raw power coupled with their two souls would be enough. She would no longer have to roam the earth as a specter. And then, they would be together.

Reaching the clearing, the apparition hesitantly cast about for any sign of the firecat before stepping into the open. Her senses took in the boy in his tree and the girl huddled on the ground under the red kariginu. Then, her attention traveled to the sleeping fox child who had wriggled his way out of the kariginu's warm sanctuary. There was no need to absorb him. She would be whole soon. She could take him as her own and raise him as a mother should.

"Ah!"

The revenant shrank back as a tiny being suddenly appeared before her.

Myouga bounced wildly, his finite limbs beating at the air. "Kirara! Kirara, the Nothing Woman is here!"

Realizing the danger, the specter rushed forward and caught the flea in one hand. A quick squeeze and his muffled cries stilled. Clutching her prisoner tightly, the Nothing Woman searched the dark trees ringing the camp, fearful of the firecat. Nothing met her reaching senses but the subtlest murmurs of forest life, hushed and fearful.

Assured she was safe, the Nothing Woman returned her attention to her captive. Gingerly, she unwound her thin fingers from the diminutive flea youkai. The tiny creature slid down her palm with a whimper, and she obligingly let his flattened form flutter to the ground. He should be unconscious for some time, more than long enough for her to finish her business here.

Relaxing, the apparition looked down at the two children at her feet. A ghostly smile crept onto her face. Soon now they would all be mended, all happy. Something in her leapt with joy at the thought. The aching emptiness that had dominated her existence for so many, long years would be gone. She had finally found her children again.

---------------------------------------

Kagome was snuggled against her mother, warm and secure. Still, that incessant prickle at the back of her mind refused to let her drift off to sleep. And, it was stronger now than ever before.

With an irritable mutter, she forced her eyes open and scanned the room. Searching blue eyes trailed across each familiar piece of furniture and its contingent of accompanying paraphernalia. The house was simply furnished, and Mama didn't allow clutter to pile up. There were few places her elusive _something_ could hide. Her gaze fell on an unobtrusive slip of paper stuck to the doorframe. An ofuda, a holy ward.

She giggled involuntarily. Ji-chan was always sticking those things everywhere in the house and shrine, claiming they would keep the evil spirits away. When she was four, his stories of youkai that devoured souls had scared her so badly she had insisted he plaster the entire face of her bedroom door with ofuda. But, she was eight now, and old enough to know Ji-chan's stories were just stuff that happened a long time ago. Youkai didn't exist anymore. And, Mama said Ji-chan exaggerated a little too, so there probably hadn't ever been many of them.

She paused, glancing up at her mother.

"Mama, where's Ji-chan?" Another realization hit her. "And, Souta! Where's Souta?"

--------------------------------------

Her power, even augmented, was quickly waning. The Nothing Woman could feel it. The silver-haired boy had nearly exhausted her with his demands. He had wanted more than his mother's touch. He had wanted another tangible presence in his dream. Providing that presence was draining. And, even now that she had supplied his heart's desire, he stubbornly refused to regress. He fought to remain the age he was. It was central to his particular fantasy.

Worse, the girl was starting to make similar demands. Setting her loose to control her own dreams would suffice for now, but she had to be quick.

She needed to join with the boy soon. A more direct method was needed. Stepping to the base of his tree, the revenant stretched out her arms and called softly.

"Inuyasha, come here."

The hanyou stirred in his sleep.

"Huh?" His head tilted toward her, ears swiveling to follow her voice.

"Come down, Inuyasha," she called. "I wish to speak with you."

The hanyou rose into a sitting position, eyes half-open, their amber depths muzzy and unseeing. With a grunt, he propelled himself off the branch to land lightly in front of her.

-----------------------------------------

Kagome sensed her mother shift beneath her in response to her innocent question. Curious, she looked up into the elder woman's face. It was serene but somehow empty.

Worried, the little girl shook her mother gently.

"Mama?"

Whatever trance her mother was in was quickly broken. Starting, the wavy-haired woman looked down at her daughter quickly.

"Oh! I'm sorry. Souta is asleep upstairs and Ji-chan is out working in the shrine," she explained with a smile.

Kagome felt the irrational fear that had gripped her begin to fade. It was okay; they were all here. Then, she frowned and glanced toward the entryway to the kitchen. A narrow band of orange light from the kitchen window still stretched across the floor. The last rays of the setting sun. It was late for Ji-chan to still be out.

"I'll go get Ji-chan for dinner," she announced, extricating herself from her mother's lap and bouncing down to the floor. With a quick smile for her mother, she hurried outside, pausing only long enough to slip her shoes on at the door. A short tug slid the door aside and she stepped outside. As she did so, something again nagged at a corner of her mind. Frowning, Kagome swung her head from side to side. The shrine grounds were quiet, bathed in a golden light from the setting sun. The dull roar of the city was only a distant backdrop to the soft twitter of birds roosting in the small wooded refuge. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

Shaking away the teasing awareness of the elusive something, Kagome set out around the shrine complex in search of her grandfather.

"Ji-chan! Ji-chan!" Calling his name, Kagome padded toward the shrine proper.

A complete circuit of the shrine later, Kagome still had not managed to locate her grandfather. And, the sun, low on the horizon when she had started her quest, had stubbornly refused to dip lower. Kagome didn't notice. She was wholly involved in her search.

It was on her second circumvolution that she finally caught sight of her grandfather's wizened figure. He stood expectantly in the lengthening shadows cast by the sacred tree that held its own place of honor at the shrine, the Goshinboku.

"Ji-chan?"

"Ah! Kagome, you're just in time." Beaming, he produced a plastic keychain dangling a translucent pink ball. "Behold!" he declared, brandishing the keychain with a dramatic flourish, "The Shikon no Tama!"

"Shikon no Tama?" Curious, Kagome stepped up to take the trinket from him and hold it up for inspection. "What kind of keychain is this?"

Ji-chan cleared his throat and adopted his most serious face. At the sight Kagome tried not to sigh. This was a sure sign that he was about to launch into one of his stories.

"The Shikon no Tama is an ancient legend," Ji-chan began. "Throughout untold centuries, powerful youkai battled to control its power as great priests and priestesses fought to protect it." His face was flushed, his voice rising to a fever pitch.

Kagome's attention wandered from her grandfather to the wide bole of the ancient tree. Idly, she let her eyes trail upward, following the sounds of birdsong high above. Her gaze lit on a tiny hole, high over her head. It was almost perfectly round, a dark opening no wider than an adult finger. Kagome froze at the sight of it.

Again, she felt that curious sensation, the indefinable feeling of knowing _something_ was out there. _Something_ an innate sense recognized and desired to find. As Kagome watched with widening eyes, the tiny hole in the Goshinboku began to glow. Light spilled out with an ever-brightening intensity.

A voice began to echo in her mind. Its quiet tones, laced with regret, overrode Ji-chan with a gentle persistence. In moments, it had drowned even her own thoughts.

"_I am sorry. But, there is no other way._"

Other sounds inundated her senses.

A whistling in the air. The deep thrum of a bowstring. The horrible, deceptively soft thump as an arrow hit home in her heart.

Then, there was no sound. Only pain.

Her chest was on fire, her body seizing up in agony.

Kagome screamed as darkness consumed her.

"_Ji-chan!_"

But, her grandfather was gone. She was alone in the darkness.

"Mama? Mama!"

"_They won't… be there anymore._"

"No!" The raven-haired girl searched the abyss, twisting herself first one way and then another. "No… Mama… Ji-chan…"

Had it all been a dream then? Was she still pinned to the Goshinboku? Was that reality and everything else the dream?

The blue sundress was gone. She was back in her tattered, bloodstained school uniform. Back in her teenage body. Back separated from her family by four hundred years.

Kagome knew she should feel as though the world had been torn out from under her. Instead, she felt detached. This was too bizarre. It couldn't be real. Whatever the truth was, this wasn't it.

Something stirred in the darkness, calling to her. A distant pulse thrummed in her head.

"What?" Curious, Kagome turned toward the insistent beacon. It was the light. The light that had burst from the Goshinboku. It burned in the distance, oddly enticing.

'_Is that the way out of here?_'

Seeing no other potential outlet, Kagome began to run toward the beckoning incandescence.

---------------------------------------

Kagome's eyes flew open. The light was still there, hovering before her. Only it was framed by indistinct shapes. Confused, the girl rubbed at her eyes before squinting into the radiance once more. It took her several long seconds to interpret the images her eyes were relaying and many more to grasp the impact of them.

In the faint light of the moon a woman stood not many feet distant. She was bare to the waist, the remnants of a simple kimono falling off her shoulders. She was the source of the glow Kagome had seen. It burned from a small point high on her back, dim as though muted somehow. And, wrapped tightly in her arms, his silver hair catching the moonlight, was Inuyasha.

Kagome gasped as more details became apparent.

'_That's— That's not normal!_'

The woman wasn't just embracing Inuyasha, her arms were literally twined around his body. Then, the two shifted toward her, and Kagome finally saw the full horror of the situation. Half of Inuyasha's upper body was sunk into the woman's chest. His eyes were closed, his body limp.

"Inuyashaaa!"

The woman started at the sudden scream, turning. Kagome gasped and drew back involuntarily.

The Nothing Woman now had a clearly defined face. It was plain and pleasant enough, though etched with the heavy lines of despair. But, what had frightened the girl was her eyes.

They were blank, a stark white that caught the moonlight to glow with an unearthly brilliance.

The schoolgirl's azure pools held the empty eyes of the Nothing Woman for a single, palpable moment. Then, a roar of fury broke the spell.

"Kirara….," Kagome muttered dumbly as the firecat charged into the clearing.

Kirara stopped only feet from the startled apparition, crouching low to the ground and snarling. Her red eyes studied the tableau before her. Her claws flexed, gouging furrows in the loam of the forest floor. This was the creature she had hunted. And now, she wanted nothing more than to destroy it. But, Inuyasha was in the way, and he was clearly in no shape to help himself. A low, deadly growl rumbled up from her chest as Kirara considered her options.

Behind her, Kagome had discovered Shippou's limp form and was trying to gently shake the child into wakefulness.

"Shippou? Shippou?" The tiny kitsune was limp in her arms. "Shippou!" She looked up at the firecat imploringly. He won't wake up!" Her gaze shifted to the strange woman clutching Inuyasha. "You!" Setting Shippou down, Kagome stumbled to her feet.

The firecat growled a warning, urging the girl to stay down. Her crimson eyes never left the Nothing Woman.

Kagome ignored the warning, pointing a finger at the disturbing specter.

"Who are you? What did you do to Shippou? What are you doing to Inuyasha?"

The woman's face softened into a gentle expression that warmed her careworn features despite her empty eyes. A whisper crossed her lips.

"I'm helping them… and you, if you will let me. You won't have to hurt anymore." Her mouth curled into a smile as her arms tightened around Inuyasha. "This one… his heart won't ache anymore."

"You're going to _kill_ him?" Kagome's outrage dwarfed even Kirara's snarl.

"No!" The apparition's face reflected genuine horror. "He will become a part of me," it explained quickly, gently. "We will be whole."

"That's just as bad as dying!" Kagome snapped. "Maybe even worse!" Indignation and adrenalin fueling her actions, the girl rushed forward and grabbed Inuyasha's remaining free arm. "Let him go!" she raged, pulling with all the strength in her slim body.

Kirara rushed to her aid, clawing at the Nothing Woman's encircling arms. The flesh shredded easily under the cat youkai's claws. Bloodless, it fell to the ground in sticky chunks.

The Nothing Woman shrieked in agony as the two forcibly ripped Inuyasha from her body. Kagome too loosed a yelp as the hanyou's dead weight, suddenly free, toppled onto her.

"Inuyasha!" the girl squawked. "Inuyasha, wake up!"

Seeing her chance, Kirara leapt over the fallen pair and threw herself at the Nothing Woman, claws fully extended. The apparition screamed and drew away. Thrusting the remains of her arms out before her, she futilely tried to ward the cat off.

Meanwhile, pulling herself halfway out from under the motionless hanyou, Kagome freed her arms and took Inuyasha by the shoulders. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" She was losing feeling in her legs. "_Wake up!_ And, get off me!"

"No!" the Nothing Woman cried out in terror as Kirara stopped just short of her, growling threateningly. In the back of her mind, the revenant could feel the boy slipping away. The dream world she had created for him was falling apart. She had pushed her powers too far. She couldn't hold it anymore.

No! The girl was lost to her; she couldn't lose the boy as well.

In a last, desperate bid, she reached into the hanyou's dream, twisting it.

Then, she called out to him, desperate. "Inuyasha! I need you!"

Above Kagome, the hanyou's amber eyes snapped open as a sharp hiss escaped his lips. Looking up at the sound hopefully, the girl opened her mouth to call his name, and froze.

'_His eyes—!_'

Inuyasha's golden eyes were pale, cloudy. The once vibrant amber had bled away, leaving a sickly, washed out yellow. His pupils were not even visible. With horror, Kagome realized his eyes were becoming like the Nothing Woman's.

"I— Inuyasha…," she stammered.

His empty eyes stared through her as the hanyou growled. It was a guttural, animalistic sound that bared his inhuman fangs.

Then, hissing, "No, you don't! Not again!" the silver-haired boy launched himself at Kirara.

Kagome could only watch in shock as he leapt between the firecat and the Nothing Woman, claws raised to strike. Light gathered around his curled fingers, streaming out from his claws. With a roar of fury, Inuyasha slashed at the feline youkai, the power he had released lancing out in a wave of power. Kirara dodged to the side as five blades of youki ripped through the air where she had been standing.

In her horror Kagome finally found her voice. "Inuyasha! What are you doing?"

The hanyou ignored her; his sole focus was Kirara. Crouching in front of the Nothing Woman protectively, he ground out, "Not this time, Naraku! Not ever again!"

In a flash of light, he drew the huge Tessaiga and threw himself at Kirara. The stunned cat again jumped out of the way only just in time. Inuyasha followed, his sword swinging wildly.

"Inuyasha! Stop it!" Kagome screamed. She started to chase after the two, intent on bringing Inuyasha back to his senses.

"Kagome, you're back to normal!" A voice suddenly appeared at her ear, stopping her. "Now, quickly! You must break the Nothing Woman's spell on the others!"

The girl twisted to find Myouga bouncing on her shoulder.

"Myouga!" Her eyes widened. Finally, someone that could help. "Myouga, how do I wake Inuyasha up? What's wrong with him?"

"He's under the Nothing Woman's spell! You must break it!" Myouga insisted as they watched Inuyasha leap after the equally agile firecat again and again, curses spewing from his mouth.

"Nothing Woman?" Kagome shifted her gaze to the mangled female creature.

The specter had regained her feet, stumbling on the rags of her drooping kimono.

"Inuyasha… my baby… Don't leave me," she whispered.

"The Nothing Woman is a youkai created from the souls of mothers who lost their children tragically," Myouga explained quickly as he too watched the creature struggle to collect herself. "She is drawn to orphans or lost children, hoping to comfort them as a means of soothing the guilt she carries from the loss of her own children."

Kagome watched the apparition with confusion.

"If she wanted to comfort him, what was she _doing_ to him?" the girl half-whispered.

"She was apparently attempting to absorb him into herself." Myouga looked thoughtful. "Probably an effort to reunite with what she perceives as her child."

"_What?_ "

Before Kagome could say more, the woman shifted into a thin shaft of moonlight and horror again flooded the raven-haired girl's being.

"Her face is disappearing!"

It was true. The Nothing Woman's human features were dissolving, melting into her face like wax under heat.

"You see!" Myouga crowed. "With her hold on Inuyasha-sama weakened, she's losing her form again!"

Kagome could only stare. Not only was the Nothing Woman's face becoming nothing but a blank surface, there was a gaping hole in the woman's chest where Inuyasha had been melding into her body. Then, the flesh of her ruined torso began to melt, reforming.

That was when Kagome saw it. The light that had been visible even through the creature's skin was unhindered for just a moment. It burned from the opening in the woman's chest.

'_That light…_'

"What's that light?" Kagome pointed quickly. "Is that part of her power?"

"Light?" Myouga looked puzzled. "What light, Kagome-sama?"

"Right there, in her chest!" Kagome waved her pointer finger at the Nothing Woman. As she did so, the light faded as the woman's body reshaped itself. "It's not as bright now that that hole's sealed up, but I can still see it."

Myouga's face was a study in puzzlement. "I can see no light." His eyes suddenly widened. "Of course! You can see the shards! She must have one! That would explain how she has the power to control Inuyasha-sama!"

"So, now she's ordering him to attack?"

"In a way." Myouga crossed his arms and assumed an authoritative air. "The Nothing Woman's spell usually takes the form of a dream world centered around memories of one's mother. Inuyasha is still half in that world. Likely, he sees her as his mother and Kirara as an attacker."

Kagome mulled the words over, remembering her own dream. But, she quickly discarded the memory and the wash of homesickness that accompanied it. There was no time for that. "If she loses that shard, will she still be able to control him?" Her stomach twisted at the thought of just what she was suggesting, but she tamped it down. She had to save Inuyasha, and Kirara.

A quick glance confirmed that the feline youkai was being hard pressed to avoid Inuyasha in the tiny clearing. As she watched, Kirara re-assumed her smaller, kitten-like form and darted into the underbrush. Howling his rage in garbled profanities, Inuyasha threw himself after her.

"Yes!" Bouncing, Myouga brought her focus back to his words. "With only her normal powers, the Nothing Woman's illusion shouldn't be enough to hold a strong will like Inuyasha-sama's!"

"Alright." Setting her jaw, Kagome moved toward the specter. She had no plan. She only knew she had to do _something_.

The Nothing Woman trembled as she watched the boy tear about the clearing, breathing threats. He was wild. She retained her connection to his dream, but no longer had any power over it. So, she could do nothing but helplessly feel his rage, knowing she had no hope of quelling it. This wasn't how it was supposed to be!

"Let him go."

The specter started at the hesitant voice, turning to find Kagome approaching her slowly. The schoolgirl's fists clenched to hide the trembling that rippled through her limbs.

"Let him go," she repeated. "Inuyasha. Let him go."

She was trying to steal the boy away again.

"No." The apparition drew away. "He is my son. I won't let him go again."

"Can't you see what you're doing to him?" Kagome demanded, flinging an arm out toward the clearing where Inuyasha was slashing wildly at undergrowth and trees alike in his pursuit of Kirara.

"I'll heal him. I can help him."

"By absorbing him?" Kagome snapped. "You'll _kill_ him!"

"No, no!" The woman shook her head fiercely. "I would never—"

A squall of pain cut her words short.

Fear tightening her stomach, Kagome swung her head around in time to see a transformed Kirara flung back into the underbrush ringing the clearing. Inuyasha stood, his sword still hanging at the apex of his swing. Something dark and wet caught the wane moonlight and flashed in the air before him.

"No!"

Kagome was pelting across the short distance between herself and the hanyou before she was fully aware of her actions. All she knew was that Inuyasha was going to kill Kirara - if he hadn't already. She couldn't let that happen.

"Inuyasha! Stop!" Heedless of her own safety, the girl threw herself between the silver-haired hanyou and the broken tangle of bushes where Kirara lay. "Inuyasha! That's _Kirara_!"

The hanyou unleashed a feral growl, muscles tensing. "Out of my way!" he roared, leaping for Kagome. "This time, Naraku is mine!"

The great sword in his hands cut through the air, aimed to cleave Kagome in two. It was over before she could even scream.

Silence filled the little clearing. It was only when she became aware of the sounds of uneven panting and hot, fishy breath washing over her face that Kagome finally decided she must be alive. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes.

Inuyasha's face was inches from her own. His empty eyes were wild, startled.

The girl dared a glance to the side. A ragged sword hung in the air, poised dangerously close to her. Where had he gotten that? It was not Inuyasha's huge blade from before. It was a rusty relic of a katana. Confused, Kagome's eyes traveled along the blade's length to where Inuyasha's hand gripped the hilt. As she watched, his muscles strained, pushing against an invisible force. He was still trying to swing it!

Inuyasha snarled at the unseen power preventing him from his fatal stroke.

"What've you done to the Tessaiga, Naraku?" he barked, fighting to move his arm.

"I haven't done anything!" Kagome stammered. "I'm not Naraku! Wake up, Inuyasha!"

"No more lies!" the silver-haired boy snarled.

Deep inside, Kagome felt an inexorable pull, a tugging at her very soul.

'_The spell_ !' She gasped aloud, recognizing the sensation. It was the spell, touching the magic link it had forged between herself and the hanyou the instant he had agreed to take her as his wife. Was the spell interpreting Inuyasha's behavior as a betrayal of his promise? Would it somehow seal her to the tree once more? Desperate, she searched his furious face.

"Inuyasha, wake up! Please!"

Inuyasha ignored her. Enraged, he swung out with his free hand, youki blazing from his clawed fingertips.

Kagome screamed.

As if in response, a ripple of pure power rent the air between the two.

His swing had only just begun when Inuyasha was suddenly, violently thrown to the ground.

Kagome stood frozen, staring at him dumbly.

On the ground, an equally stunned Inuyasha struggled to push his numbed body up. But, for all his straining, he was held fast.

"Ah! So, the spell placed on you now binds Inuyasha-sama as well. Interesting."

Kagome jumped at Myouga's sudden voice in her ear again. She started to turn and look for the tiny youkai when he shrilled a warning.

"He's getting up!"

The girl turned to find Inuyasha slowly forcing himself up. A low, dangerous growl bubbled up from his throat.

"Kagome, do it again! Quickly!" the flea pleaded.

"How?" Kagome was becoming frantic. She had no idea how the spell had hurled Inuyasha to the ground in the first place and even less of one as to how to convince it to do so again.

"Naraku…," Inuyasha hissed, his claws gouging holes in the earth.

"Quickly!" Myouga wailed.

"I— I…," Kagome stammered.

"It's going to take more than that!" Inuyasha snarled, gathering himself in a crouch.

"Wait!"

Everyone froze. Even Inuyasha, lost in his own mind's nightmares, became rigid at the sudden voice before turning to regard the speaker.

The Nothing Woman stood with Shippou cradled in her arms.

"Please stop."

The flickering image of a face played across her empty features.

"What?" Kagome half-vocalized, confused. Her gaze drifted to the little kitsune worriedly.

The Nothing Woman smiled at her gently. "Here," she murmured, moving forward to carefully deposit Shippou in the girl's arms.

A quick glance confirmed that he was unhurt. Reassured, Kagome looked back at the specter before her.

The Nothing Woman had turned her attention to Inuyasha, calling his name quietly.

Confusion softened the hanyou's anger-hardened features into their former boyish gentleness. "Wh— What?" he stammered. The color had returned to his eyes, though there was still a muzziness in his gaze that hinted at his less than fully conscious state.

The apparition stepped closer to the bespelled hanyou, reaching out to lay a hand on his cheek. For just a moment more, she let her power wrap around his mind, slipping into his dream. "It's over," she whispered.

"Over?" the boy repeated.

"Yes, the fight is over," she reassured him. "We won."

"And, you're… okay?" Inuyasha leveled a concerned gaze on the Nothing Woman, eyes seeing another person, another time.

As though understanding, the apparition breathed a quiet, "Yes."

The corners of Inuyasha's mouth tipped up in a grin. Then, he collapsed.

"Inuyasha!" Upon seeing the hanyou bonelessly crumple to the ground, Kagome started to run to his side, still clutching Shippou close.

The Nothing Woman moved quickly to intercept her. "It is alright," she soothed. "He is only sleeping now. I freed him from the nightmare."

The girl paused and studied the revenant's ever-shifting face. The Nothing Woman's ephemeral features were now soft and peaceful. Somehow, Kagome knew she could trust this being despite her earlier actions. Relaxing, she offered the apparition a genuine smile.

"Thank you."

The apparition awarded Kagome a tender smile in return as she brought a pale hand to her breast. "It will be alright now," she murmured. "I won't let you hurt anymore." The smile still gracing her face, the Nothing Woman plunged the slender hand into her chest.

Kagome gasped, one of her own hands lunging out to grope the air reflexively as though to stop the inevitable. "Wait!"

Coral light exploded from the apparition as her hand grasped the shard buried in her chest and pulled it free. A surge of energy enveloped the little clearing, charging the air. Kagome curled her body over Shippou's protectively, bracing herself as a gust of wind whipped her hair back.

Then, it was over as abruptly as it had begun. The clearing was suddenly silent and still.

Hesitantly, the schoolgirl opened her eyes. Shippou was quiet, still curled in her arms undisturbed. Out of the corner of her eye, she could just see the glimmer of Inuyasha's white hair as he lay sprawled on the ground, still insensate. Kagome was barely conscious of either. Her focus was solely on the evanescent figure that now stood before her.

The Nothing Woman was now no more than a wisp of luminous fog. Her face had become an indistinct blur, yet, somehow, it was comforting now where it had been frightening before.

Kagome stared into the nebulous face uncertainly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be your mother," the ghostly figure murmured as it stretched out a hand. The hand seemed more substantial than the rest of her body, yet it visibly glowed from within with the light of the shard it held.

With a slight shake of her head, Kagome accepted the offering, watching as the hand that had held it faded into the same mist that comprised the rest of the Nothing Woman's body. "No, it's okay." She smiled. "Thank you. Somehow… it's better now."

The Nothing Woman returned her smile. Then, she was gone, her glow melding into the wane moonlight, finally at peace.

Kagome stood alone with Shippou tucked in the crook of one arm, the faintly glowing shard in the other. "I hope she's happier now too," the girl whispered.

There was a faint 'poing', and Kagome again found Myouga on her shoulder.

"Her spirit should be in peace now," the flea mused, settling himself. "She feels she has finally helped the children she could not save when she was alive."

"Oh." Kagome hoped that was the case. Turning to ask Myouga for further assurance, she realized something. "Hey, where were you back there?"

Myouga's face slid into a mask of poorly concealed nervousness. "Me, Kagome-sama? Why, I was right here with you the entire—"

"Lying coward."

Kagome and Myouga both jerked around to find Inuyasha sitting up slowly, rubbing his head.

"Inuyasha?" The blue-eyed girl started to rush to the hanyou's side. A sudden, sharp stab of pain halted her. Stumbling, Kagome caught herself with one hand before she collapsed onto the kitsune child still in her arms. "What is—?"

"Kagome?!"

Through a haze of pain, she heard Inuyasha and Myouga calling her name. Distantly, she could feel Inuyasha's hands descending on her shoulders to support her. But, slowly, outside sensations faded as she became aware of the spell tugging angrily at her being.

What was wrong now? The pain hadn't been this intense earlier when Inuyasha was actually attacking her. Everything was okay now. Why was this happening?

The answer came in a sudden ripple of power. It threaded its way through the magic binding her to Inuyasha, giving both a sudden sharp jolt of comprehension. It was wordless, but the message stamped in their minds was clear.

Snapping out of her daze, Kagome reeled with the new knowledge. Her blue eyes distended with shock, she dared a glance at the hanyou crouched in front of her. His eyes were equally huge, jaw hanging precariously as the mechanics of speech escaped him. The grip he had on her shoulders grew slack as he slowly let his hands slide away.

"Th— That's…." Speech returned to the silver-haired boy with difficulty. "So soon?" he howled in disbelief.

Kagome could only nod before verbally clarifying. "We… We have to get married. As soon as possible."

**To Be Continued...**

-----------------------------------------

Over the course of this story, I've gone back and re-thought several details I used. Early on, I had blindly parroted a lot of fanon/fan-created ideas without even thinking about my own opinions on such matters. So, some things have changed since I first posted this. They're only minor details and not worth mentioning by now as anyone who saw them originally will have read the notes I posted after making changes, and new readers won't have seen them at all.

I have kept the fanon idea that Inuyasha's father was "Lord of the West/Western Lands". Chris Rijk's transcript of manga vol. 2, chapter 12 cited Kaede as stating that she had heard Inuyasha's father was, "a monstrous dog who prowled the lands to the west." There is a similar line in my copy of anime episode 5. That's basis enough for me to find the "Lord of the West" business acceptable for the particular purposes of this AU. I probably won't use it in any canon fanfiction I write, but it works here.


	6. A Wedding of Sorts

**Title: **Miscommunication  
**Author: **Kristen Sharpe  
**Date:** May 9, 2006  
**Series:** Inuyasha (based primarily on the anime)  
**Genre:** AU (alternate universe)/action adventure  
**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha, the character and the series, belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., and Sunrise.  
**Author's Note: **I really haven't given up on this story! Honest!

Just one major note this time out. Over the course of the year I've been poking at this thing, I've decided to attempt the Japanese forms of address rather than struggling to find something compatible that sounds like natural speech in English. It's a decision I'm still uncertain about, so I won't go back and change the earlier chapters just yet. As always, any constructive criticism would be most welcome.

**Chapter 6**

By the time the sun finally crept over the distant horizon, Inuyasha found himself out of fresh curses. He was even lacking in slightly used curses. And, he had so much to curse.

Not only had Kagome's enchantment issued a new, completely unreasonable, ultimatum, but he could _feel_ the spell now. He had felt the shock of power back in the clearing where the Nothing Woman had found them. He had seen in his mind exactly what the magic required of him. And, now, hours later, he could still feel the touch of power binding him to Kagome. It hissed in the back of his mind. It clawed at his inner being, urging him to hurry and comply with its demands. Had he ever thought to doubt Kagome when she claimed that the spell had some sort of awareness that could issue orders, he could not doubt now.

Thinking of Kagome, Inuyasha focused dulled golden eyes on the girl. She sat stiffly in front of him, gripping Kirara's fur in one hand for balance and securing Shippou with the other. She had been like this, rigid and silent, for hours.

The hanyou gritted his teeth, fighting back a growl. In fact, she had ignored him ever since the spell's "announcement" last night. He had had to hear the full story of the night's events from Myouga. That the girl had managed to acquire the Nothing Woman's shard mollified him only a little. Her silent treatment was quickly overriding any satisfaction that had brought.

Did she think this was all his fault? Poor control or not, he _had_ been bespelled, and it was her own curse that kept changing the rules on a whim.

The more he thought about it the more resentful he became toward the girl and the ever-changing conditions of her spell. A deep growl began to bubble up from his chest.

He didn't realize what he was doing until Kagome's voice cut into his thoughts.

"Are you going to keep that up the whole way to… wherever we're going?"

The question called Inuyasha back from the beginning of a fresh tirade concerning magic in general, her enchantment in particular, Naraku and a myriad of other irritants. Startled, he raised his head to find Kagome peering at him over her shoulder with a look of longsuffering patience.

It did nothing for his mood.

"Oh, so you _can_ talk," he sneered.

The girl's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing again in anger. With a dismissive huff, she looked away.

Inuyasha growled. "Oi! Why do you keep ignoring me?"

Kagome visibly stiffened. "I'm not ignoring you," she said. "I just need some time to think."

"About what?"

The schoolgirl swung around to face him so fast Inuyasha nearly toppled off Kirara's back as he reflexively jerked away. "About what?" Kagome repeated, blue eyes snapping fire. "About everything!" She shifted, swinging her legs across Kirara's back so she was seated facing the hanyou. "In just three days my entire life has gone crazy! I was pinned to a tree with an arrow—"

"That was fifty years ago," Inuyasha cut in.

"Not to me it wasn't!" Kagome snapped. "When you're unconscious, it doesn't feel that long at all." She paused and gathered her rant anew as Inuyasha mulled over that revelation. "Ever since I woke up, things have been crazy. I finally get to go home only to find that my family is missing. Probably… gone." She moved on quickly. "A mob of monsters pops out of nowhere wanting to _eat_ me. They almost did eat poor Shippou!"

At this, Shippou broke his silence long enough to jump up and interject a, "That's right!"

Inuyasha growled, silencing the fox kit with a look that promised great pain in the near future. It might have been more effective if Kagome hadn't interrupted him by grabbing one of the long silver locks that hung past his shoulders.

"Leave Shippou alone!"

The hanyou spat a startled curse and moved to pull away. A sharp tug stopped him.

"This is between you and me!" Kagome snarled, pulling Inuyasha closer. "Now, in just the last twenty-four hours, I have been put under some kind of spell, scared senseless and forced to lose an entire night's sleep."

Inuyasha stared at the girl, her iron grip on his hair forgotten. She hadn't said a word about him attacking her while in his spell-fogged stupor.

"Are you listening to me?"

There was a fresh yank on his hair, and Inuyasha focused his attention back on Kagome. He was startled to find her eyes inches from his own.

"_Now_," Kagome began again, "within the _next_ twenty-four hours, I have to get married. Married to the most thoughtless jerk I have ever met! I think I have a good reason to want some time to think." With a final huff she released her hold on Inuyasha's hair and sat back to await his response.

The silver-haired boy gawked at her a moment before covering his shock with a short, "Keh!". "You think I want to marry a loud girl like you either?" he said. "You think I want your stupid spell messing with me?"

Kagome goggled.

Seeing that he had surprised her into momentary silence, Inuyasha pressed his advantage. "_I_ can feel it too now, you know! Poking in my mind, making demands…." He shook his head as though trying to dislodge the enchantment's hold.

Kagome bristled. He acted like it was her fault. "Well, maybe it's because of _you_ that the spell did this!" she retorted.

"_What_?"

"Well, _you_ attacked me!"

"You _attacked_ her?" Shippou shrilled, bouncing up to Kagome's shoulder.

"I thought she was Naraku!" the hanyou raged. "I was under a spell!"

The girl glared at him. "Well, I'm not Naraku! Maybe that's why the spell did this! You need to prove you're committed to protecting me!"

"Yeah!" Shippou echoed the sentiment.

Inuyasha stared at Kagome incredulously, ignoring the kitsune. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" he finally snarled. "I tried to kill you so, now, obviously, the only thing to do is force me to marry you?"

Kagome scowled and looked away.

Shippou looked hesitantly between the two and quietly slid back down to his seat in front of Kagome. This was going to get ugly.

"You know what I think?" Inuyasha pursued, drawing Kagome's attention again. "I think whoever designed that spell was crazy. Or maybe it was the only way they could think of to marry off a crazy girl like you!"

His statement was met with an incredulous stare. Then, Kagome swung herself back around to face forward so quickly she nearly knocked Shippou off Kirara's back.

"Kirara," the girl began politely, "could you please land so I can get off?"

"Oi! What do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Leaving."

"Oh, no you're not!" He felt Kirara dip downward. "Kirara! Don't listen to her!"

There was a confused rumble from the firecat, but she obeyed.

Inuyasha immediately focused back on Kagome. "And, you! You can't leave! We had a deal!"

Kagome sent the hanyou a venomous glare over her shoulder. "I thought you didn't want to marry a 'loud girl like me'," she hissed coldly.

"That's—! I don't, but—" Inuyasha fumbled for words.

"There, see?" Kagome asserted. "Kirara, land."

Again, the firecat angled for the ground.

"Kirara," Inuyasha began warningly. His voice was a deep growl.

"You idiot, Inuyasha!" Shippou had had enough. Leaping up and down, he beat at the air with both fists, gesturing to the ground below. "We're back at the taijiya village!"

The hanyou blinked and then stared dumbly at the ground. Sure enough, hugging the face of the mountain below them was the large compound where the village of youkai exterminators made their home. After a moment, Inuyasha found his voice.

"Fine. Land, Kirara."

The cat growled in response and continued her descent.

Still furious with Inuyasha, Kagome turned her attention to the village growing ever larger below them. It was different from the farming settlements they had flown over earlier. Nestled along the mountain's slope, the village boasted a huge wooden wall guarded by several manned watchtowers. There were no fields or rice paddies visible, only a tight cluster of homes and some open common area spaces.

Before Kagome could register any further details, Kirara had chosen a place to land and swooped downward. They came to rest in a stretch of open ground just within the tremendous gates that closed the village off from the world.

No sooner had the firecat's feet touched the hard-packed earth than Inuyasha was vaulting off her back. He wasted only a moment in giving Kagome a curt, "Stay here," before leaping to the roof of the nearest structure and bounding away.

Watching him, Shippou just shook his head. "Idiot."

Kagome privately agreed as she scowled in the general direction the hanyou had taken.

"I assume he'll seek out the young monk and Kaede-sama," piped a sudden, familiar voice.

"Myouga." This time, Kagome was not surprised at the flea's sudden reappearance on her knee. "Where have you been?"

The tiny youkai visibly twitched at the question and looked away. "Well, when Inuyasha-sama is in such an ill-temper…"

"I understand," Kagome interjected quickly before Myouga could stammer further.

So, the flea had been avoiding Inuyasha's black mood. She felt slightly envious.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a shudder rippled through the tawny body beneath her.

"Kirara?" Kagome turned her attention to the firecat, who responded with a soft rumble.

Shippou hopped to Kirara's head and leaned over to peer into her red eyes. "Is your wound hurting, Kirara?"

The firecat rumbled again, bobbing her head lightly.

"Oh, Kirara, I'm sorry!" How could she have forgotten Kirara's wounds? Quickly, Kagome picked up Shippou and slipped from the firecat's back, dislodging a startled Myouga.

With her passengers clear, Kirara immediately disappeared within a wall of fire. Moments later, the firecat emerged from the flames in her smaller form and mewed softly. Kagome reached out to gently gather the tiny youkai into her arms as Shippou scrambled up to her shoulder.

"Let me see your wound," she said, rolling Kirara onto her back to look at the gash on her chest.

Kirara mewled in protest but submitted to the girl's investigation with only a moment's struggle.

The only bright spot in the hours since the encounter with the Nothing Woman was Kirara's recovery. With Inuyasha and Kagome both still reeling from the spell's demands, she had, in her wordless way, assured them that she was up to carrying them despite her injuries. Her quick reflexes had saved her from a fatal blow, but the raw energy radiating off the Tessaiga had seared an angry gash across her chest.

Finding that the wound looked much the same as it had earlier that morning, Kagome righted Kirara and turned her attention to the bustling village around them.

"Where are we?" she murmured.

Myouga bounced to her unoccupied shoulder and began to settle himself in for another of his long explanations. His tiny chest puffed up as he cleared his throat importantly.

Shippou was faster.

"This is the village of the youkai taijiya," he said. "Remember? I mentioned them when I was telling you about Naraku."

"Oh, yes!" Unwilling to lose another moment of what he considered his specialty, Myouga quickly explained. "The youkai taijiya have trained for centuries in the art of slaying youkai. They—"

"Slaying youkai?" Kagome interrupted. And, here she had hoped to get Kirara's wounds treated in this village! "Is it safe for you to be here?"

"Well," Shippou looked thoughtful, "Masaru has threatened to exterminate Inuyasha a couple of times, but I don't think he was serious."

"Shippou!" Myouga bounced up and down in agitation. "You know he wasn't serious! The taijiya only exterminate lesser youkai that are threatening human settlements."

"I'm sure they could make an exception in Inuyasha's case," Kagome muttered. While relieved for his safety, she still wasn't feeling very charitable towards the hanyou.

Myouga flailed even harder. "You too, Kagome?"

"Oh, Myouga! There you are."

Kagome turned at the unfamiliar voice and found a young man wearing the robes of a traveling monk moving awkwardly toward them. Looking closer, she saw that the odd gait was due to a crude sort of crutch under his left arm. He seemed to be using it to support the bulk of his weight. Then, realizing that she was staring, she quickly shifted her gaze to his face as he reached her.

The young man's violet eyes widened as she looked at him fully. Then, his face settled into a look of intense concentration.

"Beautiful lady…"

Before Kagome was entirely sure what was happening, the young monk had suddenly taken her right hand in his own and drawn closer. His grip was light, and she could feel rough cloth covering his hand. But, it was the monk's eyes that held her frozen. The intensity of his stare had deepened.

"There is something I must ask of you," he said.

Kagome could only manage a squeak that might have been an okay.

Whatever the case, the man seemed to accept it as a cue to proceed. Solemnly, he lifted their conjoined hands to eye level. "Would you do me the honor of bearing my child?"

Kagome froze. Not even another squeak could escape her throat after such a question. She could hear Shippou muttering about someone doing it again, but the words made no sense to her numbed mind. She was too busy casting about for some response to the monk's question. Anything in the negative would do!

As she fumbled for words, she caught a flash of movement over the monk's shoulder. Then, in a rush of wind, another young man appeared behind the first. Only this one was no monk. Instead of robes he wore a bizarre ensemble of armor and furs.

"Oi, bouzo." The newcomer clapped a hand on the monk's shoulder. "I hear Dog Crap's back. Have you…?"

The interruption broke the spell.

"Kyaaaa!" Kagome tore her hand free and leapt back with a shriek.

The monk, balanced precariously against his crutch, was sent toppling to the ground.

Kagome backed away from him. "What kind of thing is that to ask a complete stranger?" she screeched, clutching Kirara closer.

The second man stared at her. "What do you mean?" he said. He seemed to think she had been addressing him. "I've known the bouzo for two years."

"Not you!" Kagome pointed to the floundering monk with her free hand. "_Him_."

"Oh." The man turned to the monk. "Moron, you did it again, didn't you?"

The monk composed himself as much as was possible and sat up, assuming a look of patented innocence. "I was merely asking the young lady if she would bear my child. As you know, Kouga, I am the last of my family, and it is imperative—"

The second man, Kouga, cut him off. "Imperative you be a pervert, right." That said, he stepped past the monk and approached Kagome.

The former schoolgirl was still regarding them both warily.

"You must be new around here if you haven't met the monk before," said Kouga. "I'm Kouga, leader of the wolf tribes from the north." He thumbed over his shoulder. "The pervert's Miroku."

"I am a monk," Miroku returned serenely, his face the image of piety.

"Houshi-dono." Myouga leapt from Kagome's shoulder to hop toward Miroku.

The monk did not seem to notice as he finally regained his feet. His gaze remained focused on Kagome.

"Uh…" The girl struggled to collect herself. "I'm Kagome."

"Houshi-dono!" Again, Myouga tried to get Miroku's attention, bouncing in front of him. "Houshi-dono, this is the girl that—"

"Ah, what a lovely name," Miroku murmured, obliviously squishing Myouga with the end of his crutch as he slipped past Kouga. "Pardon my earlier forwardness. Please allow me to show you around as an apology."

"Che, apology!" Kouga snorted. He turned his attention to Kagome. "So, are you lost or something?"

Kagome's spirits lifted. Finally, a nice, polite person who could help her. Maybe he knew of place where she could have Kirara's wounds treated.

"Not exactly. Could you—?"

Kouga's nose twitched. "Oi," he interrupted her, "how come you smell like Dog Crap?"

"_What_?" Kagome shrieked.

Almost of its own volition her hand flew forward and connected with Kouga's check. As the sound of the resulting smack hung in the air, Kagome found she could do nothing but stare numbly at her wayward appendage.

Slowly, Kouga reached to touch his throbbing cheek.

Still, Kagome stared.

Shippou and a recovering Myouga were equally stunned. Only Miroku watched the scene play out with a sort of bemused surprise.

Then, the moment's spell broke as Kouga snatched Kagome's hand in his own. In one smooth motion, he snaked his free hand around her waist and pulled the startled girl to his side. It was so fast Shippou toppled from her shoulder.

"I like you, Kagome!" Kouga said with a laugh. "You can be my woman!"

"_What_?" Was everyone in this village insane? Yet again, Kagome found herself in the grasp of a strange man. A dull ache was beginning to build in her chest.

"Well, this is—" Miroku began.

Shippou interrupted him by leaping onto his shoulder and using it as a platform to yell at Kouga. "Kagome can't be your woman!"

Kouga's eyes narrowed. "And, why not, runt?"

There was a sudden rush of air. "Oi, wimpy wolf!" Voluminous sleeves flapping in his wake, Inuyasha descended seemingly from nowhere. Before his feet had hit the ground, the hanyou had snatched Kagome from Kouga's arms and pulled her into his own.

The startled girl squeaked in surprise. Not surprisingly, Inuyasha was oblivious. But, at least his presence dulled the pain in her chest somewhat.

"Dog Crap, give me back my woman!" snarled Kouga.

Kagome could have sworn Inuyasha's face went eight shades of red. "_Your_ woman?" he growled.

"Yeah, Kagome here is gonna be my woman," said Kouga. "Now, let her go, Dog Crap."

"You –!" Inuyasha sputtered, his words lost in a steadily growing growl.

"I already told you!" Suddenly, Shippou was between the two young men, glowering at Kouga. "Kagome can't be your woman! She's going to marry Inuyasha!"

Total silence fell over the little group. Even Inuyasha forgot to growl.

As every eye focused on him, the little fox gulped and struggled to gather up his courage. He had to do this. He had to be the adult and get this mess cleared up. It was not a job he could leave to the likes of Inuyasha and Kouga. And, probably not Miroku either since there was a girl involved. The monk always got stupid around girls.

Resolved, Shippou glared back at both combatants in turn.

"Inuyasha freed Kagome from the seal and promised to always protect her as part of breaking the spell," he explained, feeling important as Kouga and Miroku's eyes widened.

"So," Miroku began, "this is the girl that—"

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied curtly, finally loosening his grip on Kagome.

Shippou nodded as well. Good. They were realizing that Kagome belonged with Inuyasha, and him by extension

"And, they need to get married soon," he continued, "or the spell will hurt Kagome. So, she can't be anyone else's woman."

"Che," Kouga sniffed, looking away. Then, he turned back to Kagome and took her free hand in his own again. "My condolences, Kagome," he said.

"Your _what_?" Inuyasha raged.

Kouga continued undaunted. "If Dog Crap here doesn't treat you right, just come to me, and I'll gut him for you."

"Er…" Kagome had no idea how to react to such a declaration. "Thank you," she stammered at last.

"_Thank you_!" Inuyasha roared. "Why are you thanking him?"

"Mou, Inuyasha, he's just being nice!"

"He is _not_ being nice!"

"It was a sweet gesture," Kagome insisted, now nose to nose with the hanyou.

"What's sweet about him offering to kill me?" Inuyasha demanded. "Not that he could," he added quickly.

"Maa, maa." With his most conciliating smile firmly in place, Miroku deftly slipped between the bickering couple. "If the situation is as Shippou says, we should speak to Kaede-sama."

Inuyasha uttered a short, "Keh!" but made no real protest.

Kagome offered the monk a grateful smile. She could still feel a hint of the pain in her chest, and she was almost positive that it had something to do with the spell.

"Well then, let's go," she said as Shippou hopped into her arms with Kirara.

With Miroku in the lead, the small group set out through the village. When they passed a cluster of young women busy beating the dust from futons, the monk abruptly veered to the side.

"Miroku-sama?" Kagome started after him when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Keh! Don't follow him; it's this way," Inuyasha instructed, pulling her back onto the main thoroughfare. "The pervert'll catch up."

Miroku did catch up after a few moments, moving surprisingly quickly despite his limp. His face was set in a smug smile that caused both Inuyasha and Kouga to shake their heads in disgust.

Shortly thereafter, they arrived at a small, unassuming hut near the center of the village. Stopping by the reed curtain that covered the doorway, Miroku started to announce their presence. "Kaede-sama, Inuyasha has—"

Inuyasha stalked past Miroku, barking, "Oi! Old hag! I found the girl."

"Inuyasha!" Pushing Shippou and Kirara into Miroku's arms, Kagome hurried after him. She could only hope that his lack of manners would not cause any further problems. She was too tired to deal with anything else. Exhaustion and the spell were making conflicting demands on her body and spirit. She wanted nothing more than to appease both and finally have some peace.

Inside the hut it was several minutes before her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. Then, she found herself at Inuyasha's side facing a stout, elderly woman dressed in the traditional red and white of a miko. The woman's wrinkled face drew into a frown as her gaze swung from the hanyou to the girl. She had to look up to see either.

"Hmm, I see," the woman murmured. "This is the girl then, Inuyasha? And, you have bound yourself to her?"

Inuyasha grunted an affirmative, crossing his arms. "The stupid spell wants us to get married now," he muttered.

"Married?" The miko looked at him in surprise.

"As soon as possible." There was a growl in Inuyasha's voice.

Looking at him, Kagome noticed a strained cast to the hanyou boy's face. Was the spell tearing at him in the same way it was her?

The old miko's frown had deepened. Now, she addressed Kagome.

"My apologies for not introducing myself. I am called Kaede," she said. "And, what is your name, child?"

"Higurashi Kagome," the girl replied with a short bow.

"And, Inuyasha is correct about the conditions of the spell that binds you?"

"Yes." Kagome shifted uncomfortably. "It… The spell… Inuyasha was controlled by something called a Nothing Woman—"

"Oi!"

Kagome ignored the indignant hanyou. "Ever since, the spell has been… pulling at me."

Here she glanced at Inuyasha. He remained silent, so she said no more. If the spell was putting a similar pressure on him, he was obviously not willing to say so.

Kaede was looking distinctly worried by this point.

"And, you say the spell demands that the two of you be married?"

"Well, that's…. uhm…." Kagome was not sure how to explain the feeling that had passed through her in that moment of mind-numbing agony.

"It wants something permanent," said Inuyasha. "And, I already promised like you said I had to when I freed her!" Inuyasha's tone was petulant. "But, now, the stupid spell wants more."

A thoughtful frown on her face, Kaede studied the two in silence. "Let me confer with the young monk for a moment." With that, she stepped outside, leaving Inuyasha and Kagome alone.

A tense silence fell over the pair. Kagome found herself staring at the reed mat Kaede had passed through. Anything to avoid Inuyasha's gaze and another screaming match.

Apparently, Inuyasha had other thoughts.

"Maybe they can break the spell, and we won't have to get married."

Kagome ground her teeth together. He didn't have to sound so hopeful. It wasn't like marrying her was a fate worse than death.

"Fine," she said. "Then, I don't have to find shards for you. You can just drop me off back at the well, and I'll…" She was not entirely sure _what_ she would do back in her own time with so many years passed while she slept. "I'll just tell everyone I was abducted by aliens and they've kept me in their ship for the last fifty years."

Inuyasha exploded. "You promised to help me!"

"And, _you_ promised to marry me!"

"I thought you didn't want to marry me!"

The argument had reached an impasse. For several minutes, the hanyou and the girl stared at one another.

Then, Kagome ducked her head. "It's not like that. It's not… because it's you."

The hanyou drew in an audible breath of surprise.

Then, light burst over them.

Miroku entered first, a grin on his face and a worried-looking Shippou on his shoulder. "Well, from the sounds of it, you two seem more than ready for the married life."

Kagome quickly looked away. Inuyasha growled.

Kaede entered after Miroku followed by Kouga and a tall, well-built man Kagome had not seen before. Kirara brought up the rear, twining herself around the strange man's legs when he stopped to address Inuyasha.

Inuyasha seemed surprised by the newcomer. "Oi, Masaru, what are you doing here?"

The tall man scowled at the hanyou. "I'm here for this joining of yours, Inuyasha."

"You're—" Inuyasha rounded on Kaede. "What is this?"

Kaede regarded him with the same tolerant look she reserved for problematic children. "It seems that Kagome's spell requires that you make your agreement public to insure you do not break it."

"So, we _do_ have to get married?" asked Kagome.

"Or at least bind yourselves with a similar oath." The old miko gestured between herself, Miroku and Masaru. "As your parents are not here and Inuyasha is in a similar situation, we will oversee your joining as the spiritual and civil leaders of the village."

"Oh." Inuyasha was starting to look slightly nervous.

Kagome felt as shaken as Inuyasha looked. This was it then. She was going to be married, or bound by a promise much like marriage. As her gaze swept over the faces before her, she caught Kouga sending her a smile.

"And, I'm here for Kagome's sake," he said.

"To do what?" Inuyasha's tone was acidic.

"To support her through such a traumatic experience."

"Why, you—!"

Only Masaru's restraining arm kept Inuyasha from lunging at the wolf youkai.

"Inuyasha, control yourself!"

With a growl, the hanyou relented and returned to Kagome's side. She was holding Shippou in her arms, speaking softly with him.

"Oi," Inuyasha cut in, "are you ready?"

Kagome looked up quickly. Seeing him, she nodded and let Shippou hop down.

"It'll be okay. You'll see," the kitsune assured her.

The girl mustered a tiny smile in response. Then, straightening herself resolutely, she stepped to Inuyasha's side.

Shippou scampered over to the wall where Kouga was standing. Kirara joined them with Myouga finally reappearing on her head. Tears were streaming from the old flea's eyes.

"Oh, Inuyasha-sama!" he wailed. "Finally getting married! Oh, if only…" His words trailed off into incoherent blubbering.

"Now," Kaede's no-nonsense tone drew the attention of all but the sobbing flea, "Inuyasha, if you would repeat your promise to Kagome."

Inuyasha nodded and turned to face Kagome.

Kagome felt suddenly shaky without knowing why. Inuyasha had already made this promise. And, Shippou, Myouga and Kirara had witnessed it. This should be no different. So, why did it _feel_ different?

It was not even a proper marriage. Everyone was avoiding the word. (Except for Miroku, who seemed to use it purely to goad Inuyasha.) Promise, joining, agreement. Only her pain-wracked mind had chosen to interpret the spell's demand as being _marriage_.

Except Inuyasha had thought it meant they were to be married too.

As he faced Kagome, Inuyasha felt himself tensing. He opened his mouth to speak. And then, snapped it shut as his ears caught the sound of quick footsteps outside.

A fresh wash of light spilled over the occupants of the crowded hut as a young boy shouldered the curtain aside.

"Kaede-sama, is it true?" he asked breathlessly. He had large brown eyes and a sweet, freckled face, both of which were bright with anticipation. "Inuyasha found the girl, and he's taking her as his wife?"

It was Masaru who answered him.

"Kohaku, what are you doing here?" he demanded.

The boy jumped in surprise as his eyes finally picked out the imposing figure of the taijiya leader in the dim lighting. "Oh! I'm sorry, Chichi – Okashira." He bowed quickly. "Koharu-san and some of the other girls heard from Miroku-sama that Inuyasha had found the girl who can see the shards. I wanted to ask Kaede-sama if it was true."

Masaru's expression softened fractionally at the open hope shining in his son's eyes. "What you have heard is true," he said. Then, his voice became stern once more. "Now, you should return to your duties."

Kohaku bowed again and started to go. Then, he paused. "I… I was asked when you would be presenting Inuyasha and his bride to the village?"

For once, Masaru had no ready answer. "Present them?" he echoed. "Why should—?"

Miroku interrupted him. "On our way here, I may have let slip some of the details of Inuyasha's latest journey. I felt it was my duty to be the first to tell Inuyasha's many female admirers that he would no longer be eligible." Miroku was trying to affect his "pious" look again, but the smile on his face ruined the effort. "So that they were told in the most delicate way possible, of course," he added.

"Ah, and then you would be there to comfort them in their grief." Myouga was suddenly on Miroku's shoulder, nodding shrewdly. "How clever of you, Houshi-dono."

Miroku beamed. "I rather thought it was."

Kouga snorted and Shippou shook his head.

"Perverts," said the fox.

The wolf youkai nodded in agreement.

Inuyasha and Masaru were more vocal.

"Oi! How dare you run around telling everyone stuff like that?" Inuyasha raged, waving a fist threateningly.

The thunderclouds gathering in Masaru's dark eyes were far more ominous. "Houshi—" he began.

Kaede ended any further tirades by pointedly clearing her throat. "As the entire village likely knows by now, we might as well summon them and let Inuyasha make his promise in front of everyone. That should sate curiosity as well as the spell."

-----------------------------------------

Kagome thought she might die. She almost wished she would.

It had taken all of twenty minutes to gather the bulk of the village. Now, over a hundred people were crowded in a loose semi-circle in front of Kaede's tiny house. Kouga, Shippou and Myouga had secured front row positions. It seemed that everyone was curious to see Inuyasha and his "bride".

Inuyasha was less than appreciative. His face was set in a stony scowl, and, every few minutes, he turned to give Miroku a murderous glare.

Kagome was too mortified to consider homicide. It seemed that before she could fully take in the sudden crush of humanity (as well as a few scattered youkai), Masaru, Kaede and Miroku had arranged themselves authoritatively in front of her.

Again, Inuyasha turned himself to face her. This time, in the clear light of day, Kagome noticed a change in him. Where he had been solemn and determined back in the clearing, he was now halting and nervous. With obvious effort, he met her gaze and mumbled the words of his promise.

"I will do whatever you ask of me in return for your help. And, as you asked, I, Inuyasha, son of Inutaishou, agree to take you, Higurashi Kagome, as my wife. Do you accept?"

As she opened her mouth to accept his words, Kagome could not help thinking that this whole affair was like a sick joke. Last time, she had believed that Inuyasha meant every word. It was more a matter of duty than love, but it had been sincere. Now, he was just reciting.

But, nonetheless she softly responded with an affirmative. And, even as the word, "Yes," left her lips, she sensed the terrible pressure in her chest release.

Immediately, Kagome felt the world receding. Her last, desperate thought was, '_No! I can't faint now! At my own wedding_!'

But, faint she did, caught at the last second by a very surprised Inuyasha.

**To Be Continued...**

And, for anyone bothered by Kagome's sudden tendency to faint all the time, there's an explanation coming in the next chapter.


	7. The Seal and the Shard

**Title: **Miscommunication  
**Author: **Kristen Sharpe  
**Date:** December 20, 2006  
**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha, the character and the series, belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., and Sunrise.  
**Series:** Inuyasha (based primarily on the anime)  
**Genre:** AU (alternate universe)/action adventure  
**Author's Note: **Finally finished this one! My thanks to everyone who is still following this story with its long, long breaks in-between.

**Chapter 7: The Seal and the Shard  
**

"Old hag! What's wrong with her?"

It was the second time Inuyasha had asked the question in as many minutes. And, for the second time, Kaede ignored him. Instead, she gestured to the futon against the far wall of her hut.

"Please place her there, Inuyasha."

Grumbling, the hanyou complied.

"It sounds like the young monk and Masaru-san have convinced the crowd to disperse," said Kaede as she moved to settle herself by Kagome.

"Keh!" Inuyasha's ears twitched as he looked down at the girl who was now, for better or worse, his wife. Yes, the irritating crowd of gawkers was finally leaving, but his impatience remained. He squashed the urge to demand an explanation from Kaede again. She wouldn't answer anyway.

"Inuyasha!" Shippou burst into the hut. "What's wrong with Kagome?" Spying the girl in question, the kitsune scampered to her side. He stopped just short of the futon, uncertain whether it was alright to touch her.

Inuyasha snatched him away before he could decide. "Oi, runt, the hag's looking at her. Give her some space."

"Didn't I just hear _you_—?" Shippou began.

"Yeah, and it didn't get me anywhere, did it?"

Kaede allowed herself a small smile. The hanyou might not have been the best role model for Shippou, but they disciplined each other, after a fashion.

She looked down at Kagome, and the smile disappeared. She could see a hint of dark circles beginning under the girl's eyes, but proper sleep would rectify that. More troubling was the sense of something unusual in the girl's aura. Concentrating, the elderly miko gathered her frail power and searched. Looking beyond the physical, it became immediately clear that Kagome's exhaustion was soul-deep.

'_This child_—!'

It was astounding that Kagome had remained conscious as long as she had. The girl radiated exhaustion from every corner of her soul.

"What is it?" Inuyasha had seen her stiffen with shock, or perhaps scented her surprise with that youkai nose of his.

Kaede glanced back at the hanyou and the kitsune. "The spell used to bind young Kagome was too strong. Her very soul is exhausted."

Shippou's eyes widened, and Inuyasha's dark brows drew together in concern. Before either could open his mouth, she went on.

"She has made it this far, and with the seal removed, her soul can now work on recovering." Kaede stood and walked to the far corner where she began to shuffle through a collection of medicinal herbs arranged in neat bundles along the wall. "The damage shouldn't be permanent. I'll prepare a broth that should help. Beyond that, the best cure for her now is rest."

"That's it?" Inuyasha's tone was doubtful. "Just rest?"

"Yes, Inuyasha. Everything else is up to Kagome."

Kaede looked up from her work to study Kagome again. There was a thin thread of foreign power still wending through the girl's aura and reaching out to tangle with Inuyasha's. But, its touch was light. It had none of the dreadful power of the awkward sealing spell that had worn at Kagome's soul for half a century. Still, there was something bothersome about it, benign as it seemed.

After a moment's deliberation, she resolved to speak with the young monk about it later. For now, she wanted some further details from Inuyasha.

Reclaiming her seat by Kagome's side with the herbs she had chosen, Kaede addressed the hanyou. "Now, that we've nothing to do but wait, why don't you tell me all that has happened?" She began carefully cutting the proper herbs. "And, be sure not to leave anything out."

The next half hour was spent with prying information from the taciturn Inuyasha and preventing him from maiming Shippou when the fox kit brought up details he had neglected. Somewhere in the middle of the tale, Miroku and Kouga slipped in and insisted Inuyasha start over so they could hear it all. Finally, after a round of death threats and one restart, Inuyasha finished and crossed his arms with a huff.

Miroku looked impressed. "Likely, the seal on Kagome-sama was meant only to be broken by a human with strong spiritual powers," he said. "I doubt the originator of the spell even considered the possibility of a hanyou. It was an excellent plan, Kaede-sama."

"It was nothing but an educated guess," Kaede replied.

"What?" Inuyasha squawked, jumping to his feet and snarling at Kaede. "You sent me there to free that girl and you weren't even sure it would work? What if I'd been purified to dust?"

Kaede merely shrugged and turned to toss another log on the fire. "I doubted one as stubborn as yourself would die so easily."

"Why, you….!" Inuyasha growled, waving one fist in the air. Shaking with poorly suppressed anger, the hanyou swung around and brought his fist down on Kouga's head.

"Ow!" Clutching his head in pain, Kouga leapt to his feet. "Oi, Dog Crap!" he snarled, getting in the hanyou's face. "What was that for?"

Inuyasha sniffed and turned away. "Shut up!"

Kouga huffed irritably and sat back down. "Well, it's a good thing you've already found the girl," he said, crossing his arms. "I came here looking for information on Naraku's wind witch. I thought I caught her scent while I was out hunting."

Inuyasha spun to face him again immediately. "Kagura? She's still alive?"

Miroku looked equally stunned. "She should have died with Naraku!"

"Well, maybe she didn't." Kouga looked up to find Inuyasha staring at him in open disbelief. "And, don't look at me like that! I know what I smelled." Kouga grit his teeth. "I'd know that scent anywhere."

Inuyasha swore loudly.

Miroku leaned back, thoughtful. "Do you believe that Kagura is still acting under Naraku's orders?"

"But, Naraku is—" Shippou looked between the older youkai for reassurance.

"I don't know," said Kouga. "It doesn't matter anyway. If she's alive, I'm still going to kill her and avenge my clansmen." The wolf youkai glared into the middle distance.

"Keh!" Inuyasha sniffed dismissively and sat down. "If it's just her, she's not a problem. Kagura hated Naraku. She was trying to stab him in the back from the day he made her."

The tiny room fell into silence.

It was true that the wind youkai had rebelled against Naraku throughout her short existence. Even to the point of aiding his enemies. Although, trusting her as an ally had been dangerous at best. She feared Naraku as deeply as she hated him. But, her help had been invaluable in a few crucial battles.

Kouga despised her all the same. She had lured the majority of his clan into a trap and overseen their slaughter with a smile on her lips. It was all on Naraku's orders, but not even Kagura herself claimed innocence.

So, Kouga had resolved to kill her and her master. It had been that goal that had led him to ally himself with the taijiya and the other youkai fighting Naraku. He had initially hoped that his "allies" would distract Naraku's underlings while he went ahead to take out the twisted hanyou himself. He hadn't counted on coming to genuinely respect the other youkai fighting at his side, let alone the humans. But, respect them he did and abandoning them to chase after his revenge had not been an option. Even so, it was galling that the _dog_ had been the one to strike down Naraku.

The wolf youkai watched Inuyasha shoot a furtive glance at the sleeping Kagome. At least Dog Crap would leave Kagura to him. Inuyasha had his own quest to worry about.

To his right, the monk stirred.

"If Kagura has truly survived, it may be more cause for concern than Inuyasha thinks," said Miroku. His eyes flicked to the hanyou before coming to rest on the firepit. "If Kagura is alive, it's possible that Kanna is as well. And, she was always loyal to Naraku." The monk watched the flames lick along a short piece of wood. "Perhaps even loyal enough to carry out his revenge."

Inuyasha scowled.

Shippou nervously prodded the fire with a short piece of wood.

"Kanna?" asked Kouga after a long moment. "Wasn't she that creepy little kid with the mirror?"

"As I understand it, Kanna was the first of Naraku's offspring," said Kaede. She moved to ladle some of the broth she had made into a shallow bowl. "Her form may have been that of a young girl, but she was no more a child than any of his creations were."

Miroku nodded. "It is as Kaede-sama says." He lifted his gaze from the fire to pin Inuyasha with a look. "You should be careful, Inuyasha."

"Keh!" The hanyou folded his arms. "I know that brat's tricks." He looked away from Miroku's intense stare. "Besides, you shattered her mirror."

"Yes," and Miroku felt a vicious stab of satisfaction at the memory, "but she may have other powers. She most often served Naraku from the shadows, so we can't be certain that we've seen the extent of her abilities."

"Keh." This time, it was the Inuyasha equivalent of agreement.

A fresh silence settled over the little room as Kaede stirred the broth. At length, she deemed it cool enough and turned to Inuyasha. "I will need you to hold Kagome up while I give her this," she said.

"What? Why me?" the boy protested.

"She is your responsibility, is she not?"

"I would be happy to aid the lovely Kagome," said Miroku.

"Che, you can't help yourself right now, bouzo." Kouga sniffed. "I'll help her." He started to stand.

Inuyasha shoved him back down. "Hands off, wolf." Tossing both of the other men an evil glare, he stalked across the hut and knelt by Kagome.

Shippou scampered after him and leapt to his shoulder to watch.

Inuyasha spared the kitsune only a glance before focusing on the task at hand. At Kaede's instruction, he gingerly slipped a hand behind Kagome's head. Carefully, he tilted her head forward. As Kaede brought the bowl to the girl's lips, Inuyasha trained his eyes on her face.

Asleep, Kagome's face was serene. She looked much like she had when he had first found her. And, he admitted to himself, she was rather pretty. When she wasn't screaming at him or further complicating his already complicated life.

And now, she was his wife. He had no idea how to react to that fact. Marriage wasn't something he had ever envisioned in his future. Only once. Briefly.

Inuyasha's mind ground to a halt. He could only stare at Kagome.

"Kikyou."

Kaede was removing the now empty bowl from Kagome's lips when she heard Inuyasha's whisper. "Inuyasha?"

Wordlessly, the silver-haired boy quickly settled Kagome's head back onto the futon and stood, brushing Shippou off his shoulder.

"Inuyasha, what are you—?" Miroku began.

But, the hanyou was already gone.

--------------------------------------------

Night had long since fallen by the time Miroku finally found Inuyasha. The hanyou had lodged himself in a tree high up the mountainside above the village. The slope was steep and choked with underbrush. It was particularly difficult going with his current injuries. A fact that was not lost on Miroku. The hanyou did not want to be found.

But, with the current situation, he didn't want to leave Inuyasha alone to brood. So, Miroku had ruthlessly squashed his desire to return to Kaede's hut and rest and instead focused his spiritual powers on the bright glimmer of youki that was Inuyasha.

As he approached the hanyou's perch, one pointed ear twisted his way.

"Idiot." Inuyasha had his back to Miroku, looking out at the forest below. "You're going to hurt yourself more wandering around out here with your pathetic human eyesight."

"I'm touched by your concern." With effort, Miroku sank to the ground at the base of Inuyasha's tree.

"Keh."

Several minutes passed in silence as the young monk rested his back against the tree and caught his breath. The right side of his body was on fire with stabbing pains. They lanced up from the palm of his right hand and burned across his chest. Perhaps he _had_ pushed himself too far.

"Idiot."

Miroku looked up to find Inuyasha peering down at him. The hanyou's yellow eyes were oddly luminous in the darkness.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Inuyasha asked.

Miroku smiled faintly. "No, my friend, merely looking out for your well-being."

"Keh, my well-being," Inuyasha repeated. "So, you half-killed yourself to come stick your nose in my business."

"I half-killed myself to come and learn why you left so abruptly," said Miroku. The boy above him was silent. "Kaede-sama believes that you mumbled, 'Kikyou,' just before you left." Miroku could hear leaves rustle as Inuyasha adjusted his weight. "Who is Kikyou, Inuyasha?"

"Nothing to do with you."

For several minutes, the only sound was the rustling of small creatures in the underbrush.

"It's a pretty name," said Miroku at last.

There was no answer.

"You can tell me, you know. I more than understand how a man can lose his head at the sight of a lovely woman." Miroku grew thoughtful. "Of course, you _are_ married now, so you should be—"

"It's not like that!" Inuyasha roared, shattering the quiet. "Not like that at all!"

The monk rubbed at an ear. "Well, my friend, then what is it?"

"Kikyou… Kikyou died." Inuyasha's voice was a mumble.

"My apologies. I had no—"

"Don't bother. Kikyou died a long time ago."

Miroku seemed nonplussed by the revelation. "Nonetheless, my condolences."

Another silence descended. Miroku waited patiently for the hanyou to speak again, mulling over what little he had learned. The pieces he had formed an incomplete picture at best. But, what he could see of it was worrying.

"Kagome made me think of Kikyou," said Inuyasha finally. "Kikyou was— She traveled with me."

Well.

"Oi!" Apparently, Inuyasha had expected a response. "That's all you wanted to hear, right?"

There was a note of finality in his words. As far as Inuyasha was concerned the conversation was over. There was a stirring in the tree as the hanyou prepared to leave.

But, Miroku's voice stopped him before he could leap away.

"And, you didn't think of this until now?"

"No," Inuyasha ground out.

"I see." Miroku cupped his chin with his left hand in a deliberate thoughtful gesture. "But, this Kikyou is still on your mind."

Inuyasha froze. Muscles tensed to jump tightened.

"Kikyou's _dead_." He forced the words past clenched teeth.

"Yes," said Miroku quietly, "but, so are the others." He paused. "Inuyasha, you aren't thinking—?"

"_No_!" Inuyasha roared. "Just shut it, monk! You don't know anything!"

"Inuyasha," Miroku began again, "you married Kagome-sama—"

"I know that!" Inuyasha's speech was becoming more growl than words.

Miroku sensed that he was trending dangerous ground, but the words would not be stopped. "And, tragic as her loss might have been, this Kikyou is—"

"_Dead_," Inuyasha snarled. "And, I don't need you to remind me of that." Suddenly, he was in front of Miroku, amber eyes blazing. Too late, Miroku realized he had pushed too hard. "And, what about _you_?" A clawed hand jabbed at Miroku's chest. "Don't lecture me when you're still pining for a dead woman of your own!"

There was absolute silence in the tiny clearing as the implications of Inuyasha's words sank in for both young men.

The hanyou spoke first, drawing back, caving in on himself as he stepped away from the monk. "Miroku, I… I shouldn't have—"

"No." Miroku's voice was soft, but the resignation in it stopped the hanyou cold. "You're right." His head was bowed. "Maybe it is the same."

"Miroku…"

"Maybe we all need to let go."

"_What_?" Inuyasha couldn't believe he was hearing this. Not now. Not after he had just found the girl. "Don't talk like that!" He crouched down to take Miroku by the shoulders and shake him. "They're all still in the cave! It will still work!"

Miroku didn't look up. "Can you be sure of that?"

"I can't be sure of anything! But, we can't just give up!"

Finally, Miroku looked up and met Inuyasha's gaze. The hanyou's eyes were practically glowing in the darkness, burning with a determined light Miroku had only seen previously in battle. And, somehow they gave him hope.

"Inuyasha, I…" Miroku shook his head. "I'm sorry."

Inuyasha grunted and stood. "I shouldn't have said—"

"It's alright."

The two were silent for several minutes. Then, Miroku stirred.

"Well, then, I'll be returning to the village." Using his crutch to lever himself off the ground, Miroku struggled to his feet. His half-healed wounds were still throbbing. He shuffled a few steps from the tree. "Return soon. Kouga is looking for you. He probably means to leave soon."

Behind him, Inuyasha snorted. "Good riddance."

Miroku didn't look back. "I believe some of his wolves brought him news this evening." Miroku shifted his weight, hoping to ease the ache in his right leg. "He may have heard rumors of a shard."

"_What_?" Inuyasha shook his fist. "Why didn't you mention that sooner?"

"It didn't seem to be the appropriate time," Miroku responded serenely as he started downhill.

"You just wanted to ask all your questions first!" the hanyou accused.

The monk was moving away steadily. "I will see you later," he called over his shoulder.

"Oi, bouzo! Don't try to ignore me!"

There was no answer.

With a growl Inuyasha lunged after him.

------------------------------------

"You can put me down now, Inuyasha."

"Keh!"

"Inuyasha, this is embarrassing."

"No one's awake." The hanyou continued on his course, trudging his way toward Kaede's hut.

"The men on watch are," Miroku insisted, "and they're _staring_ at us."

"Let 'em stare."

Miroku groaned. His current hobble was undignified, though it at least earned him some sympathy points from the ladies. But, being hoisted over Inuyasha's shoulder and carried like a sack of rice was not an improvement. Despite all his supernatural strength, the hanyou was surprisingly lean under his loose clothing. And, when slung over his shoulder bouncing down a mountainside, "lean" translated to "bony". Thus, Miroku was now intimately acquainted with Inuyasha's razor-edged collarbone.

All the same, he doubted he would have managed the return trip on his own. And, at least Inuyasha was fast. Just a few tremendous leaps had brought them back to the village.

He should probably thank Inuyasha.

Miroku resolved to only use one purifying fuda when he enacted his revenge. It was only fair.

By the time Miroku had settled on his vengeance, they were back at Kaede's hut. Inuyasha ducked inside and wordlessly deposited Miroku against the wall. Then, with a gruff command for Kaede to, "fix the bouzo," and a quick glance at Kagome, Inuyasha was gone.

Kaede watched Inuyasha's passage from her seat by the fire with a bland expression. As the reed mat over the door swung back into place in the boy's wake, she turned her gaze on Miroku.

"That Inuyasha…," Miroku grumbled as he tried to find a comfortable sitting position.

"I take it Inuyasha has gone to speak with Kouga?" the old miko asked.

"Aa," said Miroku. He grit his teeth as he pried at the wrap around his right hand. Blood was seeping through the cloth.

"And, you have aggravated your wounds again." It was not a question.

"Aa." Miroku sounded chagrined this time.

"Let me see then." With the stoic look of one all too used to dealing with particularly foolish young people, Kaede rose to examine Miroku's injuries.

---------------------------------------

Kouga was waiting just beyond the main gate into the taijiya compound. He looked up from a conversation with two fellow wolf youkai as Inuyasha approached.

"Took you long enough, Dog Crap," he said. "What were you off whining about anyway?"

"Shut up," Inuyasha snapped.

Kouga shook his head. "Ginta and Hakkaku," he gestured to the two behind him, "found Kagura's scent. There's no mistake it's her."

Inuyasha's face darkened.

"So, watch yourself," Kouga continued. "Like the bouzo said, if Naraku's detachments can survive without him, the wind witch might not be only one."

"Keh! I can handle—"

The rest of Inuyasha's words were lost as his face slammed into the dirt.

"Yeah. I see how alert _you_ are, Dog Crap." Kouga dug one of his bare heels into the hanyou's lower back. "Try to do a better job keeping your new wife safe. She's too good a woman for you, you know."

Kouga barely leapt away in time to avoid Inuyasha's slashing claws.

"You—"

But, Kouga and his companions were already racing away.

"See you, Dog Crap!"

---------------------------------------

Kagome slowly became conscious of the acrid scent of smoke. Was something burning? If it was, she should probably get up. Smoke meant either the house was on fire or Jii-chan was performing some sort of ritual. And, either one could quickly lead to the other.

But, she was just so comfortable.

Regrettably, the blissful sensation of a good night's sleep vanished when reality finally caught up with her. Piece by piece, the memory of the last several days returned.

Right – feudal era, fifty years lost in sleep, married to a dog-eared boy named Inuyasha. She congratulated herself on remembering much more quickly this time. It must be a skill that improved with practice.

Reluctantly, Kagome opened her eyes. The room was dark, but a shaft of golden light streamed in from a single window above her. She squinted against the light's brightness.

Sound drifted around her as her eyes adjusted to the light. The village outside was awake and busy. The hut, however, was still caught in slumber. As things came into focus, Kagome could make out the forms of her companions. Miroku was sitting in the far corner, head bowed in sleep. And, directly across from her sat Inuyasha. He was leaning against the wall with his sword propped on his shoulder. His head tilted downward, spilling messy bangs over his face.

Kagome smiled. He looked so peaceful. So different from his demeanor when he was awake. It was a good thing _he_ had never been left in an enchanted sleep somewhere. Whoever woke him would be in for an ugly surprise when that sweet face twisted into a scowl.

Like it was doing right now.

"Oi. Don't stare at me like that," Inuyasha ground out without moving. After a moment, he opened his eyes and glared at Kagome.

She returned the favor.

"I was just looking to see where I'd woken up this time," she said.

"You wouldn't need to worry if you'd stop fainting all the time," the hanyou suggested acidly.

Kagome sat up. "Hey, I didn't have any control over that!"

"Keh."

"Ha!" Kagome was triumphant. "You only say that when you can't think of anything else!"

Before Inuyasha could form a retort, a new voice broke in.

"As charming as it is to listen to newlyweds bickering in the morning, some of us are trying to sleep," said Miroku.

Inuyasha and Kagome stared first at Miroku and then at each other. It was only then that they realized that they had subconsciously drifted closer during their argument. Inuyasha was crouched halfway across the small room. Kagome had inched to the farthest extent of her futon to better yell at the hanyou.

Faces red, the two leapt apart. Kagome toppled back onto the futon, and Inuyasha literally threw himself in the general direction of the doorway. He landed inches from Kaede, who was just entering the hut.

If nearly colliding with the hanyou surprised her, the elderly miko didn't show it.

"I see you're both awake," she commented as Inuyasha moved aside to let her pass.

"I wasn't asleep," said Inuyasha. "I was keeping watch."

"You looked asleep to me," said Shippou, coming in behind Kaede with an empty bucket.

Inuyasha glared at him.

"Inuyasha was probably tired," Miroku explained. "He was up the last two nights sulking over losing to Kouga in their last fight."

"I wasn't sulking!" Inuyasha roared. "And, I didn't lose! It wasn't even a fight! The coward ran away."

"Yes, yes." Miroku waved his hands in a calming gesture that only succeeded in irritating Inuyasha even more. "And, we're all very grateful for the firewood you chopped for us."

Oblivious to the bickering, Kaede approached Kagome. "How are you feeling?" she asked Kagome, pitching her voice to be heard over the escalating roar.

"Much better, thank you." Kagome smiled.

It was true. For the first time in what felt like forever she felt… right again. Ever since Inuyasha had woken her, she had stumbled through each day in a daze. It was like she hadn't been able to find some sort of mental center of balance. But, now, everything was set right.

Kaede studied the girl appraisingly. "You look much improved," she commented at last, settling herself in her habitual spot by the fire. "You have slept for the better part of three days."

"Three days?" Kagome was surprised. No wonder she felt so well rested.

"Aa," Kaede affirmed. "Your body needed to recover from the sealing." She checked the pot over the fire and, satisfied, began doling its contents into bowls. She passed the first bowl to Kagome, who thanked her quietly. The second went to Shippou, who immediately began guzzling it down. By this time, Inuyasha had realized there was food and ended his tirade at Miroku in favor of taking his own share.

Once everyone was served, Kaede returned her attention to Kagome. "There are some questions I need to ask you regarding your sealing."

The room was quiet except for the sounds of Inuyasha noisily emptying his bowl. Kagome looked up at Kaede and slowly lowered the bowl from her lips.

"I… Alright."

"Could you tell us exactly what happened that you came to be sealed?" asked the old miko.

Kagome bit her lip. "I… I fell down the old well at my family's shrine and somehow ended up here at the bottom of the well in this world."

Kaede nodded. "The Bone Eater's Well that devours the bones of slain youkai," she said. At Kagome's curious look, she elaborated. "I was raised in the village that once stood near the well. I grew up hearing stories of the cursed forest with its mystical bone-eating well and the strange girl from a foreign land pinned to a tree."

"Oh." Kagome thought a moment and then continued her story. "I found… your village after I climbed out of the well. They accused me of being a kitsune at first."

Shippou's eyes rounded at this; Kagome looked nothing like a kitsune.

"But, the miko came and said she couldn't sense any sort of evil aura around me. She took me to her home and asked where I came from." Kagome frowned. "I don't think she really understood me."

"That's because your country is so strange," said Inuyasha.

"Hey!" Kagome turned an offended glower on the hanyou.

Miroku quickly moved to break up the burgeoning argument by interrupting. "So, what happened that you were sealed, Kagome-sama?"

Kagome thought a moment to regain her train of thought. "It happened later," she said. "That night, some sort of centipede youkai attacked the village. The miko killed it with her arrows, but it… popped back somehow." Kagome frowned as she struggled to describe it. "It was dead. Well, it _looked_ dead. But, it got up again, and it was healed."

Everyone was looking at Kagome intently now. It was making her rather uncomfortable. Her eyes roamed the room, trying to avoid her companions' eyes. A breeze was teasing the reed mat over the door, and she could see a sudden flurry of activity outside. Three men clad in armor strode past, moving in a quick, businesslike manner. With effort, Kagome tore her eyes away and continued.

"So, the miko said something about a jewel and that the centipede must have a shard," she continued. "She was going to shoot it again, and I asked her about the place on its chest where it was glowing. I just felt like there was something special about that spot."

"The miko looked at me strangely. Then, she shot the centipede again, and it "died" again. After that, the miko asked me to show her the glowing place. I had to reach inside the centipede to get it." Here, Kagome made a face. "But, I did it, and I showed the shard I found to the miko. The villagers saw it too."

Kagome's voice grew soft, and she looked down at the floor.

"Everyone was afraid when they saw it. They said it would bring Naraku to the village. The miko tried to calm them down, but no one would listen. They pointed at me and said to send me away with the shard. They said Naraku would want me too."

Kaede was shaking her head. "That much is true. Naraku would have killed more than one village to gain a power such as yours."

"My… power?" Kagome's blue eyes were wide with confusion.

A voice piped up from Kagome's shoulder. "While many priests and miko can sense objects of great power, I have never heard of another who could see their exact location like you can, Kagome-sama."

Kagome turned her head and wasn't surprised to find Myouga sitting on her shoulder.

"Oh." She was silent a moment before speaking again. "I guess that's why the miko decided she had to… seal me. She led me out to the forest and said she couldn't send me away like the villagers wanted. She said a power like mine had to be safe from men and youkai both. Then, she explained about the seal and…"

There was no need to finish the sentence. For several minutes, the little room was silent. Inuyasha sat against the wall with his arms crossed, his eyes closed. Kaede and Miroku looked at Kagome with sympathetic expressions. Shippou's eyes were wide with shock.

It was Inuyasha who broke the quiet.

"Keh!" he snorted, looking up at last. "That's stupid! She should have brought you to us."

Kagome turned to him. "Us?"

"Here," the hanyou explained. "We were already allied with the taijiya then." He sniffed. "You'd have been safe here."

Kagome felt herself warm at Inuyasha's words. His outrage on her behalf was strangely nice.

"So, now, is it safe to—"

Before she could finish her question, there was a scuffle at the door.

"Inuyasha-san?" a voice called.

Inuyasha stood and strode to the door immediately. He pulled the mat aside to reveal the freckle-faced boy from earlier. Kirara was perched on his shoulder.

"Inuyasha-san." The boy made a quick bow. "The okashira wishes to speak with you."

The hanyou nodded. "Good. Let's go."

He was gone before anyone could comment.

Kagome stared at the space where the white-haired boy had been. "What was that?"

"It seems that the men Masaru-san sent out to track the remains of Naraku's youkai have returned," said Miroku. "They've probably heard rumors of another shard."

"Oh." Kagome looked out the door with an unreadable expression.

"He will return soon," said Kaede. "Now, there is one thing about your story that still worries me."

Kagome looked at her in confusion.

"What became of the shard you found?"

"Yes, I was about to ask that myself," said Myouga.

Kaede nodded. "It is troubling. I grew up in the village where Kagome was sealed, and I had heard something of her story." She smiled toward Kagome. "Though the stories were rather exaggerated."

Kagome wondered what legends the villagers had constructed around her. Of course, given their superstitious nature, it was probably best not to ask.

"But," Kaede continued, "no one knew what became of the shard she found. It vanished, as did the miko who sealed Kagome."

Myouga crossed his arms. "Hmm… Might this miko have taken the shard away?"

"If she did, it was likely her death," said Miroku.

"You mean," Kagome looked at Miroku with sad eyes, "she sealed me to protect me and took the shard away to save the village?"

"It is possible," the monk allowed.

Kagome looked down, feeling guilty for some of the ugly thoughts she'd had of the woman. Perhaps the miko truly had meant well after all.

---------------------------------------

Inuyasha strode beside the young taijiya silently as they made their way through the village. His brow was furrowed in thought.

"Inuyasha?"

The hanyou looked at the boy's earnest, freckled face. "What is it?" he asked.

"Do you—" Kohaku looked down and re-collected his thoughts quickly. "Will you be able to save Ane-ue?"

Inuyasha put his nose in the air and sniffed. "Keh, of course!"

Kohaku smiled. "Thank you, Inuyasha."

On his shoulder, Kirara trilled.

Inuyasha tossed them both a confident smirk.

By this time, they had reached the taijiya leader's home and Inuyasha nodded to Kohaku before stalking inside. He wasted little time on pleasantries.

"Oi, Masaru."

There was no answer. Without breaking stride, Inuyasha strode to the room where his nose told him that Masaru was waiting. He snapped the shoji aside and entered unceremoniously, closing the screen behind him.

"Oi, Masaru, what's this about?"

The room was dimly lit by a pair of raised lanterns resting on either side of a small shrine set into the wall. Masaru was a dark, silent bulk between Inuyasha and the meager light. The taijiya okashira stood with his back to the hanyou, arms crossed over his chest. After a moment, he spoke.

"The men I sent out to track the rogue youkai returned with interesting news."

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "They heard about a shard." It was not a question. "So, where is it?"

Masaru focused his gaze on the tiny shrine. Once, his people had kept the Shikon no Tama sealed within its confines. Before it was stolen by Naraku.

"Inuyasha, have you mastered the Tessaiga yet?"

The question caught the silver-haired boy by surprise. "What does that have to do with anything?" he snapped.

"So, you haven't mastered the sword."

"I never said that," Inuyasha growled.

Masaru finally turned to face him. "Your defensiveness is answer enough."

Inuyasha dropped his arms, clenching his fists at his sides. "I'll master it soon."

"Then, I suggest you work harder to unlock its secrets." The taijiya okashira walked past Inuyasha and put his hand to the screen.

"Oi! Masaru!" Inuyasha rounded on him. "What about the shard?"

"It is beyond your reach for now."

"_What_?" Inuyasha growled in frustration. "If you know where the shard is, tell me!"

Masaru's jaw tightened. "There are other shards. Seek those first." He glanced at the hanyou. "You have found the girl who can sense shards. It should be little trouble." He slid the shoji aside and stepped out of the room.

"Masaru!" Inuyasha's voice was a snarl. "What are you hiding? Where is the shard?"

Masaru stopped only for a moment. "It is in the possession of the Ryuukossei."

**To Be Continued...**

Notes: I re-wrote Inuyasha and Miroku's rather heated conversation at least three times. The final result is actually a compilation of parts from all three versions. And, I'm still uncertain about it. As always, any constructive criticism on that or any other part of the chapter would be most welcome.


	8. Bones of Contention

**Title:** Miscommunication  
**Author:** Kristen Sharpe  
**Date:** October 23, 2007  
**Disclaimer:** Inuyasha, the character and the series, belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., and Sunrise.  
**Series:** Inuyasha (based primarily on the anime)  
**Genre:** AU (alternate universe)/action adventure  
**Author's Note:** And, things are moving again! Thanks, as always, to everyone who has reviewed and to my betas, particularly SageSK for helping me through some rough bouts of writer's block. Also thanks to Midoriko-sama for the encouragement and for offering to help. As always, any comments or critiques are most welcome. I have made one minor change from earlier chapters - having looked into it a little more, I've decided that "kariginu" is probably the more accurate term for Inuyasha's firerat robe, so I've changed to that instead of "haori". If FFN is done eating portions of my large uploads, I'll try to add the change to the earlier chapters soon.

**Chapter 8: Bones of Contention**

Kagome listened as Kaede explained the uses of the items she was carefully tucking into her pack. Here a pouch of herbs good for reducing fever. Here toxic powder that would incapacitate youkai. Kagome was sure she would never remember it all. So, she had grabbed a charred stick from the fire and begun scratching out short notes to herself on strips of her old school uniform. The blouse wasn't good for anything else now. There had been no way to repair it. Fortunately, Kaede had found her a simple green kosode to wear instead.

Inuyasha entered as she was tying the final shred of cloth onto its appropriate bundle. The girl looked up from her work in time to see the hanyou's appraising gaze sweep over her. Kagome turned away and focused her attention on checking the supplies in her pack. Inuyasha was probably only going to say something rude. He had been in a terrible mood ever since Masaru refused to tell him where to find someone called Ryuukossei.

But, after looking her up and down, Inuyasha simply grunted. It wasn't exactly a, "That looks good on you," but with Inuyasha, silence was probably the highest compliment he would ever offer.

Assured her pack was ready, Kagome stood and pulled it onto her back. "There. That's everything," she said.

Inuyasha stared at her. "You're still wearing those things?" he asked.

The girl blinked and followed his gaze to her feet. He was staring at her battered brown loafers.

"Oh! These?" Kagome tapped the toe of one shoe against the floor. "These are a lot more comfortable than anything in this time."

"They look funny," said Inuyasha.

Kagome ignored him. Kaede had also given her a pair of zori sandals that were now stowed away in the pack as well. With luck, she wouldn't need them anytime soon. She much preferred the loafers.

His inspection of Kagome's wardrobe completed, Inuyasha turned to Kaede. "Oi, old hag, we're leaving now."

Kaede studied the two of them. "Very well. Be careful, the both of you." As Inuyasha headed for the door, the aging miko let her senses reach out to Kagome one last time. As before, she could detect nothing but health radiating from Kagome's aura. There was nothing unusual present save for the remaining spell link between her and Inuyasha. The girl had healed completely in just the span of a few days. Again, Kaede could only marvel. Kagome had the potential to be a fine miko. Perhaps they could speak of it later.

"Good-bye, Kaede-bachan." Waving, Kagome followed Inuyasha.

Shippou met them as they stepped outside. "Miroku's going to meet us at the gate," he said.

Inuyasha grunted an acknowledgement.

The little group walked toward the main gate in silence. Around them, daily life in the village continued as usual. They received only a few passing glances.

Kagome looked at the villagers curiously. Kaede had explained that their "mission" was something of a secret. Only a select few knew that Inuyasha was out gathering shards rather than tracking rogue youkai.

The secrecy frightened her a little. Were the shards still so sought after?

She patted the front of her kosode where a small bulge marked the little leather pouch that now hung around her neck. She could see the glow from the Nothing Woman's shard burning through the material.

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha. There was a glow emanating from his kariginu as well. It looked like he already had two shards. She wondered where he had been keeping them before. Maybe he had left them somewhere in the taijiya village. In the state she was in when they arrived, she wouldn't have noticed.

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome looked up to see Kohaku jogging up to them with Kirara on his shoulder. "Kirara wants to go too," he explained.

The feline youkai mewled in agreement and hopped to the ground. Kohaku looked from her to Inuyasha. Inuyasha nodded to him as though answering an unvoiced question. Kohaku smiled.

"Thank you," he said. He then looked between Inuyasha and Kagome. "Good luck, Inuyasha, Kagome-san!" Then, waving, he jogged back the way he had come.

With the boy gone, Inuyasha regarded Kirara. "You healed enough?" he asked.

Kirara trilled, staring at him with her large, red eyes.

The hanyou nodded. "Good." He cast a sidelong glance at the approaching Miroku. "Unlike the monk here."

The monk in question was uncharacteristically somber.

"Inuyasha, Kagome-sama." He greeted them in turn with a wan smile. "I had hoped to join you, but it seems I will have to wait a little longer."

Kagome was surprised to hear an underlying bitterness in his tone. But, Inuyasha uttered his trademark snort before she could question it.

"If you came now, I'd just be saving your butt all the time," he said.

Rather than being antagonized, Miroku simply smirked at Inuyasha. "You don't have to hide it, my friend. I know you're just pleased to have this time alone with Kagome-sama."

"I_— What_?" Inuyasha sputtered, going red in the face.

Kagome felt her own face heat.

"Hey! They won't be alone," Shippou piped up. "I'll be there to make sure Inuyasha doesn't do something stupid."

With that, the fox kit leapt to Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Oi, runt." Inuyasha looked at him, suddenly stern. "You'll be staying here with the old hag."

"_What_?" Shippou's tiny claws dug into the fabric of Inuyasha's kariginu.

"You heard me."

"No!" Shippou's fluffy tail bushed out like an angry cat. "I'm coming with you!"

"No, you're not." Inuyasha reached to brush the fox off his shoulder.

Shippou immediately sank his teeth into the offending hand. Inuyasha flung him away with a growl.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome glared at the hanyou as she gathered a dizzy Shippou into her arms. "Why can't Shippou come with us?"

"Because he doesn't need to!"

"What do you mean he doesn't need to?" Kagome's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Miroku intervened before the inevitable argument could escalate. "I believe Inuyasha is merely concerned for Shippou's safety, Kagome-sama. It will be a dangerous journey. Not all youkai mean well like the Nothing Woman."

Kagome deflated. "Oh."

Inuyasha uttered a faint grunt.

Sensing that his champion was faltering and his chances dwindling, Shippou lunged for Inuyasha again. He fisted his tiny hands in the heavy fabric of the hanyou's kariginu and looked up pleadingly.

Hard amber eyes stared back at him.

Shippou gulped and looked away. He had seen that cold glare before. Inuyasha wasn't playing this time. This wasn't one of his temper tantrums either. This was serious.

Shippou took a deep breath. He couldn't back down. Not this time.

Forcing himself to meet Inuyasha's eyes, Shippou opened his mouth to speak. "This is important to me too, you know," he said. "I don't want to just wait here; I want to help."

There was no response, so Shippou continued.

"I can help protect Kagome. I have my foxfire, and I can transform." There. He had reminded Inuyasha that he wasn't just a helpless little kid.

When Inuyasha spoke, his voice was soft and serious. "Your foxfire burns nothing, and you can only hold a transformation for a few minutes."

Shippou looked down. He had no answer to that.

Inuyasha reached to remove Shippou with hands that were gentle but firm. The kitsune tightened his grip and buried his face against Inuyasha's chest.

"Please, Inuyasha!" Shippou felt his tiny body tremble with the force of his emotions. "I want to go with you! I want to help bring back Okaa and Otou!" His throat was raw, and his voice broke. "I want to help. I don't want to be alone again."

Kagome opened her mouth and then closed it quickly. She glanced at Miroku; he was silent. She bit her lip and looked at Inuyasha. His face was set in that emotionless mask she remembered from the day they had fought at the well. She had been furious with him then. Now, Miroku's words rang in her ears. Inuyasha was doing this to protect Shippou. For his own good. Had it been the same when he was so harsh with her?

Shippou waited for the inevitable. He had seen how implacable Inuyasha could be when he got this way. He felt the hanyou shift beneath him and tensed. A hand suddenly rested on his head. Fingers twitched in a feather light gesture that might have been a pat. Then, Inuyasha carefully pried him loose and settled him on the ground.

The kitsune kept his head down. He would not cry in front of Inuyasha.

He heard the hanyou take a step away. This was it then.

"Oi, Shippou, you coming?"

Confused, Shippou lifted his head to find Inuyasha standing several feet away, looking back over his shoulder expectantly. Shippou blinked and shifted his gaze to Miroku. The monk merely smiled serenely. Beside him, Kagome was beaming.

With an uncontrollable grin of his own, Shippou raced after Inuyasha.

-----------------------------------

The moon was reaching its apex in the night sky as a small band of men hurried down the road. Their faces were drawn. Their eyes nervously searched the road ahead and the fields on either side. A heavy hand-drawn cart clattered in their midst. Behind them lay a desecrated grave. Ahead, their lord waited eagerly to receive the illicit cargo they carried.

Only the moon was witness to the grisly errand as they hastily ferried a cart full of human bones across the still countryside.

-----------------------------------

"I wish I'd packed a futon." Kagome stretched her arms over her head, willing the ache in her back to lessen. Three night's worth of sleeping on the ground and she felt like an old woman. She was stiff and sore, and Inuyasha was utterly unsympathetic.

"Oi, what are you doing back there? Come on!"

Kagome groaned and jogged up to Inuyasha's side.

"Can't we ride on Kirara?" she asked.

Kirara lifted her head from a dozing position wrapped around Inuyasha's neck and trilled curiously.

"No," said Inuyasha to both Kagome and Kirara. "We might fly over a shard before you sensed it."

Kagome sighed. "We might as well. We're just walking around waiting for me to sense something anyway, aren't we?"

"Keh."

"That means he doesn't have a better idea," Shippou confided as he ambled along beside Kagome.

"I had noticed," she replied.

"Oi!" Inuyasha tossed a glare at them over his shoulder and crossed his arms.

Kagome sighed. Now, he was going to pout. Inuyasha was one of the strangest people she had ever met. One minute he would be deeply serious, discussing matters of life and death, the next he was reduced to a bratty child. She tried not to think too hard about the fact that she was now married to him.

In fact, she was so busy trying to find an alternate topic that she almost walked into Inuyasha when he stopped moving. He stood stiffly in the middle of the trail with his nose in the air.

Kagome was confused at his actions. "Inuyasha?"

"There's blood on the wind," said the hanyou. "A lot of it."

"Blood?" Kagome felt her stomach tighten.

Shippou sniffed the air curiously. His nose wasn't as sensitive as Inuyasha's, but he could just make out the metallic tang in the air.

"It's fresh," said Inuyasha. He crouched down. "Get on my back."

Obligingly, Shippou hopped onto his back.

"What th—?" Inuyasha growled. "Shippou! I meant Kagome!"

"Me?" Kagome looked down at the crouching hanyou as Shippou scrambled to his shoulder.

"Yes, you," said Inuyasha. "Get on."

Uncertainly, Kagome hiked up her kosode and secured it around her legs so that she was decent. Then, she followed Inuyasha's terse instructions to settle herself on his back. No sooner had she wrapped her arms around his neck than the hanyou stood and launched himself into the air.

It was like flying. For an instant, Kagome thought they _were_ flying. Then, they returned to the earth. But, only briefly. With just the slightest tensing of his muscles, Inuyasha again catapulted them skyward.

Quickly, Kagome adjusted to the rhythm of Inuyasha's leaping gait. It was more amazing than frightening. The world was nothing but a blur around them, and at the apex of Inuyasha's higher jumps she could see over the treetops.

The girl was so enthralled she almost forgot the reason for their sudden side trip. Then, she felt it - the same sensation she had felt from the Nothing Woman.

"It's another shard!"

"What? You sensed something?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes." Kagome nodded even though the silver-haired boy couldn't see her. "It feels like the Nothing Woman's shard, and we're getting closer."

Inuyasha sped up, reducing the forest around them to a blur.

Kagome gripped the fabric of his kariginu tightly. The wonder was gone. Instead, the sick feeling in her stomach was back.

Then, the blur of trees fell away, and Inuyasha landed on a hill above yet another ruined village. Slowly, Kagome slid from his back and surveyed the damage.

Many of the structures had been reduced to so much kindling. Above the village, a castle rested on the opposite hill. It also bore the scars of an attack, most notably a large hole gouged out of its roof. No one was in sight.

Kagome's face saddened. This was becoming an unpleasant pattern.

"Is the shard here?" Inuyasha asked, holding his right sleeve up over his nose to shield himself from the overwhelming scent of blood.

"Mmm." Kagome tried to focus on the indefinable feeling that meant a shard was nearby. She turned away from the village and scanned the forest behind them. "I think it's out there somewhere." There was also a strange sense of _something_ emanating from the village, but it wasn't _quite_ a shard. It was pervasive with no one source. She assumed it must be some remnant of the shard's power. Like an echo.

"So, the shard's with the youkai who did this," said Inuyasha. He put his nose to the wind. "All I can smell is blood," he muttered. He took a careful sniff. Yes, blood… and something else he couldn't make out.

"Ah!" Kagome was pointing down into the village excitedly. "Survivors!"

Inuyasha looked where she was pointing. Sure enough, a couple of figures could be seen huddled near one of the less-damaged homes.

"Let's go," Inuyasha said. He started down the hill.

Some time later found the little group in the village headman's house.

"The oni have been plaguing us for months," Isao, the elderly headman, explained as a girl around Kagome's age served the travelers a simple meal of fish and rice. "At first, it was just one or two, and they passed over us to attack the castle. But, with the youkai war, our lord had hired many youkai slayers, and they destroyed the oni quickly."

"Youkai war?" Kagome asked.

From beside her, where he was happily devouring his meal, Shippou whispered, "That's what humans call the fight with Naraku."

"Oh." Kagome took a bite of her fish. She was immediately pleased to find that it was cooked perfectly. Unlike how _some_ people cooked. She glanced to where the girl who had served them stood by the wall, wondering if she had done the cooking.

When she looked back at the headman, Isao had dropped his gaze to the floor. "Soon, it was five oni every night, then ten, then twenty," he said. "They began stopping in the village to feed before attacking the castle. Night after night."

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha. There had to be something they could do. But, Inuyasha wasn't looking at her. He was staring at the headman intently. He had barely touched his food.

"Finally," Isao continued, "our lord hired a mercenary. A man said to be able to kill hundreds of youkai. Two nights ago, he met the oni when they came and completely destroyed them."

Inuyasha's frown had deepened. "This man… who is he?" he asked.

The elder shook his head. "I don't know. At first, I thought he might be the hanyou who serves the taijiya."

"Hanyou who serves the taijiya?" Kagome looked at Inuyasha curiously.

"Keh," said Inuyasha. "Obviously, it wasn't me."

"Ah!" Isao's face light up. "So, _you_ are—?"

"Yes," Inuyasha answered shortly. "Anyway, about this man?"

"Oh, yes." Isao looked thoughtful. "He appeared human enough, but he possessed a frightening power. That is all I know."

Inuyasha harrumphed.

"So, the village is safe now?" Kagome asked.

"Yes." The old man nodded, smiling. "We can finally rest easy."

"Don't be too sure." Inuyasha stood in a single fluid motion. "I'm going to look around," he said as he disappeared out the door.

Once he was gone, Isao addressed Kagome. "So, that is Inuyasha. I've heard stories about him. They say he's served the youkai taijiya for centuries."

Feeling as though she was expected to confirm or deny this, Kagome fumbled for an answer. "He works with the taijiya, but I'm not really sure how long—" She looked to Shippou for help, but he had discovered Inuyasha's practically untouched dinner and was focused on devouring it. "I don't think he's that old," Kagome finished lamely.

But, he had said that the miko who sealed her should have taken her to the taijiya instead. He had implied that he was there at the time of her sealing. He had implied that he was alive fifty years ago.

"So," Isao's voice startled her out of her thoughts, "are you one of the taijiya as well?"

"Me?" Kagome pointed to herself. "No. I'm just… er…"

"She's Inuyasha's new wife," Shippou put in helpfully around a mouthful of fish.

Kagome blushed.

"Ah." Isao nodded. "Well, it is getting late. Sakiko will show you to your room."

At his words, the girl who had served them appeared at his side. "Please follow me," she said.

As they left the room, Kagome remembered her musings over dinner. "Oh, Sakiko-san, did you prepare our food?" she asked.

Sakiko visibly started and turned slowly to regard Kagome with wary eyes. "Y-yes, I did."

"It was delicious." Kagome smiled warmly. "Thank you."

Shippou nodded in agreement.

"Oh." Sakiko's entire body seemed to relax. "It was nothing special. I—" Her eyes brightened. "Would you like me to show you—?"

"Sakiko!"

The elderly headman had appeared in the doorway behind them. He was scowling fiercely. "Don't bother our guests with such things, girl," he scolded. "Take them on to their rooms."

"Oh, she's not bothering us," Kagome put in quickly.

But, neither of the villagers paid her any attention.

Sakiko made a jerky motion that seemed to indicate Kagome should follow her and headed on down the corridor. Kagome turned to appeal to Isao but found that he had already ducked back into the room. Quickly, she trotted after Sakiko.

Shippou and Kirara traded a glance and trailed after them.

Moving up alongside Sakiko, Kagome offered her a bright smile. "Maybe you can show me later, Sakiko-san."

The girl glanced at her and allowed a faint smile to lift the corners of her lips. "I would like that, Kagome-sama."

Then, they had reached the simple room that had been prepared for the travelers and, after quietly excusing herself, Sakiko left.

Kagome settled her heavy pack against a wall and debated what to do now. Sleep was out of the question. The day's events had left her wide awake.

Kirara had no such problems. The firecat had settled herself between the three futons laid out for their use and curled into a sleepy ball.

Kagome looked over at Shippou. The kitsune was busily taking inventory of what appeared to be an impressive collection of toys.

"What's all that, Shippou-chan?" Kagome asked, kneeling beside him.

"This," Shippou said proudly, "is my bag of tricks. I use these for my kitsune magic." He grinned up at Kagome. "Want to see?"

Kagome nodded quickly.

Beaming, Shippou stood and brandished a little red and green top. "Spinning top!" With a quick tug on its string, he sent the top whirling across the room where it suddenly grew to gigantic proportions.

Kagome watched with wide eyes. Kirara merely opened one eye briefly before curling up tighter with her tails draped over her nose.

After a moment, the top shrank to its original size and slowed to a stop.

"That's amazing, Shippou-chan!" Kagome clapped excitedly.

Shippou beamed and strutted across the room to retrieve the top. "And, that's just my simplest trick," he said.

Kagome smiled as she watched him. Then, she stiffened. The vague aura of power she had been feeling in the village had suddenly intensified.

"There's another shard," she said, looking around as though it might have popped into existence within their room.

"Another shard?" Shippou looked at Kagome in surprise.

Kagome nodded. "Come on, Shippou-chan." She headed for the door, pausing only briefly to address the now fully awake Kirara. "Please watch my pack, Kirara."

The firecat trilled softly and obediently leapt onto Kagome's bag. She circled once and then curled up into a ball again.

Kagome smiled at her and then moved to slide the shoji door aside.

-----------------------------------

Leaping lightly from one vantage point to another, Inuyasha circled the village. The ravaged settlement was quiet and dark in the deepening twilight. It felt almost empty, though he had caught glimpses of people moving furtively among the darkened homes. Clearly, the villagers weren't as at ease as the headman had thought.

Completing his circuit, Inuyasha found only one trail left by the oni. A painfully obvious path of destruction that had clearly been used more than once. So, he turned from the village and instead began picking his way along the swath of devastation that led into the forest. If nothing else, it offered an escape from the nauseating scent of death and blood that permeated the settlement. He hadn't even been able to force down more than a few mouthfuls of food with that horrible stench surrounding him.

He looked at the sky. Clouds were coming in, bringing with them the scent of rain. Good. Maybe it would wash away the rancid odor.

Resolving to catch something for himself while he was out, Inuyasha paused at the treeline and glanced back at the castle that overlooked the village.

"The oni must have some reason to be interested in it," the silver-haired boy muttered.

But, Kagome had sensed the shard in the forest, not the castle. So, the oni hadn't come to steal it. Likely, one of them already had it. For a moment, he considered questioning the aging headman as to whether any seals or shrines had been disturbed or if the local lord had recently come into possession of any strange weapons that might be emanating jyaki. Then, he realized what he was thinking and swore.

He had been working with the taijiya too long. It was no wonder people thought he was their pet hanyou.

With a growl Inuyasha leapt for the trees.

-----------------------------------

Kagome felt her way along the engawa circling the headman's house. Shippou rode on her shoulder using his sharper eyes to guide them. Full dark had fallen, and the moon was lost behind thick clouds. Even Kagome's nose could detect the scent of rain in the air.

"I wish I had a flashlight," Kagome muttered, letting her right hand trail along the side of the building to steady her in the all-consuming darkness. Having lived in Tokyo with its perpetual electric lights all her life, it was amazing to her just how dark night was here in the feudal era.

"A what?" Shippou asked, breaking into her thoughts.

"It's a type of lantern."

"Oh." Shippou perked up. "I can make foxfire!" Raising his tiny hand, the little fox produced a ball of blue flame. With a gentle push it floated out of his palm and hovered in front of Kagome.

"That's perfect!" Kagome exclaimed.

Shippou hopped to the floor. "Just follow me," he said, puffing his chest out proudly as he led the way.

With the foxfire to guide them the two moved on around the building. As they went, Kagome tried to focus on the echo she had felt earlier. If she could just pin it down.

There it was. And, there, fainter. And, there. As she had noticed before, it was everywhere. There was no single source.

Kagome frowned.

Shippou looked up at her, worried by her silence. "What is it, Kagome?"

"The shard," she said. "It's… it's like it's in several places at once."

Shippou cocked his head. "Several places?" Then, his eyes widened. "Someone broke it even more?" he wailed. "But, that will make it even harder to find all the pieces!" Then, the kitsune's eyes rounded with horror. "What if they ground it up?"

Kagome blinked. Then, realization set in. "Shippou-chan, that's it!" She snatched the child up to hold him at eye level. "That's why I can barely feel the second shard! Someone's broken it up!" She settled the kitsune back on the floor. "But, why?"

Shippou started to answer, but stopped when he caught sight of a light rounding the corner of the house. Kagome followed his gaze.

As they watched, Sakiko appeared around the corner. She was carrying a small lantern. Seeing Kagome and Shippou bathed in the eerie bobbing light cast by the foxfire, she froze. A little gasp escaped her lips.

"It's just us, Sakiko-san," said Kagome, waving.

Shippou quickly dropped his concentration and let the blue fire fade away.

"Oh." Sakiko crept a little closer. "I… Isao-san sent me for you." She bowed quickly. "He apologizes that it's so late, but we have a visitor who wishes to speak with you."

"With us?" Kagome frowned in confusion.

"Yes." Sakiko bobbed her head. "When he heard that the youkai taijiya had sent someone, he became very excited about speaking with you."

"He probably wants us to exterminate a dangerous youkai somewhere," Shippou whispered.

"Oh." Kagome doubted Inuyasha would be happy with the idea of a detour. But, if this man needed help, she could at least hear him out.

Kagome looked back at Sakiko. "Alright. We'll speak with your visitor."

-----------------------------------

Inuyasha crouched to sniff the ground several times. There was no question about it; the oni's trail ended here. Inuyasha scowled. He had backtracked the trail from the village, hoping to find a den of some sort. Instead, the trail had ended abruptly in this muddy little clearing. The destruction came to a sudden end, as did the scent trail.

Inuyasha glanced at the sky, now roiling with dark clouds his keen eyes could just make out. "But, if they could fly, why land here?" Why not swoop down on the village itself?

He bent to sniff the ground again, moving in a careful circle. There was something else to the scent. Something hidden under the overwhelming stench of rotting blood. Something familiar.

"If you're looking for the oni, the trail stops here."

Inuyasha leapt to his feet and spun around, swearing to himself.

The intruder was a young man wearing expensive armor and a cocky smirk. A monstrous sword was slung casually over his shoulder.

'_I didn't smell anyone coming because of this stench_,' Inuyasha thought to himself. Aloud, he snarled, "Who are you?"

"Bankotsu," answered the man. "The local lord hired me to take care of his youkai problems." In one smooth motion he swung his massive sword around to point it at Inuyasha. "Does that include you?"

"Keh." Inuyasha crossed his arms, indicating he didn't intend to fight. "I'm just passing through."

"Eh?" Bankotsu's smirk widened. "What do you want with oni then? Don't tell me some of you youkai actually like to eat those things?"

"That's disgusting!" Inuyasha spat.

Bankotsu shrugged. "I thought so." Something dark glittered in his eyes. "Well, whatever you're here for, let's see if you put up a better fight than those oni."

With that, he lunged, swinging his sword down for a crushing blow. Above, the sky split with a roar.

---------------------------------------------

As Sakiko led Kagome and Shippou along the corridor, the sound of rain drumming on the roof became audible.

Kagome glanced upward. "I hope Inuyasha hurries back," she murmured. "He's going to be soaked."

"And, then, he'll stink like wet dog," Shippou added.

"Wet dog?" Kagome gave the little fox a disbelieving look. "He smells like wet dog?"

"What else would he smell like?" Shippou cocked his head. "He's a dog."

Kagome sighed. Great. Her new husband smelled like wet dog. Well, at least his ears were cute all the same.

'_What_? _Where did _that_ come from_?' Kagome shook her head to clear away such thoughts. Instead, she focused on the aura of the shard echo. It was strengthening.

'_We're getting closer_,' she thought. '_Does someone here have the shard_? _But then, why couldn't I feel it before_?' Her eyes widened in sudden realization. '_That's right_! _I finally felt the shard just before Sakiko came to tell us about their visitor_. _So_… _He must have the rest of the shard_!'

They had reached the large room where they had been served dinner. At a gesture from Sakiko, Kagome stepped inside with Shippou at her heels. They found Isao seated to one side of a squat little man with over-large, bulging eyes. The headman gestured to Kagome as she entered.

"This is the wife of the hanyou Inuyasha, Kotatsu-sama."

The little man, Kotatsu, smiled at this. It was a thin smile that only briefly twitched the corners of his lips. "Ah, it is a pleasure to meet you, taijiya-san," he said.

"Oh, I'm just—"

But, before Kagome could correct him, Kotatsu had jumped up and was waving for her to sit.

"Please, please have a seat, taijiya-san."

Startled by his frantic manner, Kagome sat. The man immediately sat as well. Shippou opted to hide behind Kagome.

"Er, what was it you wished to speak with me about?" Kagome asked.

"Have the taijiya come to exterminate the oni?"

Kagome blinked at the abruptness of the question. "Well," she began, "if the oni attack again, we'll do whatever we can. But, I thought the lord had already hired a man—"

"Oh, yes, yes," Kotatsu cut her off, "but, the taijiya sent you and the hanyou?"

Kagome shook her head. "We were just passing by."

"Oh, oh." Kotatsu rocked back, visibly relaxing. "Well, it's… good that you came anyway."

Unsure what else to say, Kagome nodded.

Suddenly more cheerful, Kotatsu moved to pull two scrolls from a pack at his side. "I am Kotatsu," he introduced himself. "I work as a painter in the capitol."

"Oh." Kagome wondered if he expected her to have heard of him.

But, he continued on without looking at her.

"I paint scenes of Hell."

With a deft flick, Kotatsu unrolled both scrolls. The long skeins of paper came to a stop just in front of Kagome.

The girl recoiled. Before her lay scene after scene of monstrous oni, grinning over the mutilated bodies of tortured men. Behind her, Kagome could feel Shippou trembling.

The wind and rain outside intensified, thundering against the roof.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Kotatsu had eyes only for his creations. "I spent some years seeking out the aftermath of recent battles to perfect my art. And, on one such battlefield, I found something incredible."

The little man produced a fresh scroll and a container of ink. Retrieving a brush from his pack as well, he began to draw in quick, sure strokes.

"Let me show you."

----------------------------------------------------

"Idiot!" Inuyasha swung the Tessaiga around to block a fresh attack from Bankotsu. "I don't want to fight you!"

"Too bad!" Bankotsu leapt back to avoid a sweep of the Tessaiga meant to knock him off his feet. He was not a big man, but he wielded his giant halberd as easily as Inuyasha handled his own Tessaiga. And, with far greater familiarity.

The hanyou swore and clawed wet hair out of his eyes.

Bankotsu smirked. "Tired already?"

"Ha!" Inuyasha leapt into the air and brought the Tessaiga down with devastating force.

Bankotsu blocked the attack without flinching. "Is that it?"

Inuyasha jumped away, snarling.

He had curbed his superhuman strength at first, unwilling to slaughter the human without reason. But, Bankotsu had almost overpowered his weakened strikes in seconds. Now, he was fighting at full force, and still the human met him blow for blow.

"What are you?" Inuyasha demanded, lunging at the man again.

"Hmph. Thinking I'm some kind of youkai?" Bankotsu ducked under Inuyasha's swing and slammed his halberd into the ground. "I'm human, idiot!"

The force of the blow blasted a crater into the sodden earth, throwing a cascade of mud into Inuyasha's face.

"Gah!" Blinded, the hanyou was thrown backward, skidding across the muddy clearing.

Bankotsu rushed forward. "Don't compare me to whatever weaklings you've been fighting!"

Inuyasha struggled to maintain his balance. Bankotsu was coming; he could smell the man's battlelust even over the rain. He swiped his sleeve across his face, trying to clear his eyes. No good! Gauging the distance on scent alone, Inuyasha drew the Tessaiga up and—

Metal sang against metal.

Blinking furiously, Inuyasha opened watery eyes to smirk at the blurry image of his opponent's face.

"Is that it?" he asked.

Bankotsu smiled back. "Not even close."

The mercenary leapt away.

Inuyasha watched him as he blinked the last of the mud from his eyes. "I guess that old man back at the village wasn't just telling stories about your strength," he allowed.

"Eh?" Bankotsu frowned.

"The old man at the village," Inuyasha repeated. "He told us how the lord hired you to take care of the oni."

Bankotsu regarded him as though he were crazy. "The village?" he asked. "Everyone in the village is _dead_! Even at that castle it's just the lord, some guards and his daughter. The oni killed everyone else."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "_What_?"

Blood. The entire village reeked of blood. Even the headman's house was saturated with it.

'_Those villagers_—!'

Inuyasha turned and started to race back the way he came. As he leapt over the first fallen tree, there was a roar of sound. Before he could react, a rush of wind sent him tumbling through the air. Broken branches tore at his face as he landed hard on his stomach in a spray of mud.

"Oi!" A heavy body landed on the log nearest him. "We're not done yet."

Forcing himself up, Inuyasha met Bankotsu's smirk with a snarl.

----------------------

Kagome watched Kotatsu paint with a growing sense of nervousness she could not explain. Something was wrong. Kotatsu's behavior, his horrifying ink paintings. It was all wrong. She wanted to excuse herself, grab Shippou, Sakiko and Isao and put as much distance between them and this room as she could.

'_But, I need to locate that shard_,' she reminded herself.

Taking a deep breath, she focused on the elusive shard. Its aura was all around her. But, it was strongest at—

Kagome's eyes landed on Kotatsu's container of ink.

'_The ink_?' Kagome studied the little bamboo cylinder.

"Almost complete."

At Kotatsu's words, Kagome swung her gaze back to his painting.

"It's me!" She couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of her mouth.

The little painter had created a faithful likeness of her down to the simple pattern on her kosode. It was only missing her eyes.

"Now, for the final touch," said Kotatsu. Excitedly, he waved a hand toward her.

Did he mean for her to come closer?

Before Kagome could question him, strong hands descended on her shoulders and propelled her forward. Startled, she whipped her head around to find the headman gripping her from behind.

"Isao-san?"

He didn't answer. His face was empty, devoid of emotion.

Kagome turned back to Kotatsu. "What is—?"

The words stuck in her throat.

The painting was _moving_. It shifted, arms reaching upward. Slowly, they rose from the paper, rounding into solid forms. Stark black outlines took on the color and shades of living flesh.

With horror, Kagome realized that the hands were reaching for her.

"_No_!"

She tried to jerk away, but the headman's grip was like steel.

"Isao-san!" Kagome glared at Kotatsu. "What did you do to him?"

The little man laughed. "I created him. A perfect replica." He gestured at the grasping painting. "Just as she will be – once she devours your liver."

"My liver…" Kagome stared at him, uncomprehending.

One of the painting's hands curled around her left wrist. Looking down, Kagome found the painting staring back at her with hungry, crimson eyes. She opened her mouth to scream.

"Foxfire!"

Blue fire shot past Kagome to knock the hand away. The painted Kagome shrieked in rage and pain as her paper form ignited.

Isao added his own howl as a second burst of fire caught him in the back. Feeling his grip loosen, Kagome twisted free and scrambled away.

"Kagome!" Shippou rushed to her.

"Shippou-chan!" Kagome scooped the little kitsune into her arms and lunged for the doorway. Kotatsu was screeching with rage, but Kagome had eyes only for the exit. Throwing the shoji open, she nearly collided with Sakiko. Kagome immediately grabbed the other girl's wrist. "Sakiko-san, we have to go!"

"Kagome-san—?"

"There's no time!" Ignoring the confusion plain in the other girl's face, Kagome pulled Sakiko with her down the corridor. Her eyes searched wildly for an exit.

Wait! Kirara was back in their room. How would she know—?

Her flight was brought up short when Sakiko suddenly dug her feet in and pulled them to a stop.

"Sakiko," Kagome turned to her quickly, "we have to get out of here! That man is—"

Something in Sakiko's face stopped her.

"Sakiko-san?"

Sakiko glanced back the way they had come. "There's time." She turned back to Kagome. "I have time." She reached for Kagome.

"Sakiko-san," Kagome started, "what are you—?" The words stuck in her throat.

Sakiko's eyes were red.

"I'm so hungry," the girl whispered.

**To Be Continued...**

Notes: I really didn't intend for this to come out near Halloween. But, it works!


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